Allegations of bullying and far-right sympathies have resurfaced regarding Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, stemming from his time as a student at Dulwich College in the early 1980s. A letter written by a teacher at the school in 1981 details concerns about Farage’s behavior and apparent extremist views.
Concerns Raised by Dulwich College Teacher
Chloë Deakin, a young English teacher at Dulwich College in 1981, wrote a letter to the school’s headteacher, David Emms, expressing her concerns about Farage’s conduct. The letter, first revealed in 2013, followed a discussion among staff about whether Farage should be made a prefect.
Deakin’s letter detailed accounts from both pupils and colleagues alleging harassment of fellow students and a fascination with far-right ideologies. She wrote of hearing claims that Farage had been “goose-stepping” during combined cadet force marches.
Despite these concerns, Farage was placed on the draft list of prefects. Deakin expressed her “appall” when she learned of his inclusion and wrote to Emms independently, stating she felt strongly about the matter.
Details from the 1981 Letter
The letter recounted a colleague remarking that Farage was a “fascist but that was no reason why he would not make a good prefect.” Another colleague described Farage’s “publicly professed racist and neo-fascist views” and an incident where he was allegedly offensive to a classmate, leading to the student’s removal from the lesson.
The letter also referenced claims that Farage and others had marched through a village late at night singing “Hitler Youth songs,” with a chaplain noting that such views expressed by boys of that age were often deeply held.
Deakin concluded her letter by emphasizing the school’s responsibility to ensure its leaders were “enlightened and compassionate.”
Recent Allegations and Farage’s Response
Fresh allegations about Farage’s teenage past have recently emerged in a series of reports, causing a crisis in his political career. The Guardian has spoken to more than 30 of Farage’s former schoolmates who have testified to witnessing or experiencing racist or antisemitic abuse.
Farage initially denied any racist or antisemitic behavior and threatened legal action. He later conceded that some remarks made decades ago might be viewed differently today, but denied directly targeting anyone with malicious intent.
Deakin, now 74, stated that while she did not personally witness Farage’s alleged behavior, the accounts she received at the time, combined with recent testimony, leave no room for doubt. She believes Farage directly abused pupils and that her protests to the headteacher at the time did not prevent his appointment as a prefect, contributing to her decision to leave the school.
Farage has claimed that the accusations are part of a political plot to undermine him. Deakin refuted this, stating her motives were based on her disgust at the accounts she heard and were not politically driven.
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