‘Farage sounds absolutely off his head’: Reform leader tries to turn tables on BBC in racism row
Richard Tice has called antisemitism claims against Nigel Farage, dating back to his teenage years, as a “made up twaddle”, suggesting the Reform leader can remember what happened, but his accusers are liars.
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In brief…
- Richard Tice says the Jewish students who accuse Farage of antisemitism while at school are lying, echoing Donald Trump’s technique of turning any allegations against him back on the accuser.
- The News Agents say Reform cannot have things “both ways” in claiming Farage can accurately remember what happened 50 years ago, while the 20+ accusers are making things up.
- The allegations appear to have done little to diminish Reform’s prospects, with it this week receiving the biggest political donation in UK history.
What’s the story?
Reform UK has taken the Trump defence in the ongoing row over Nigel Farage’s alleged antisemitism as a teenager.
That is, to turn the allegations back on the accuser and call them a liar.
Former Jewish classmates of Farage allege he directed jokes about Adolf Hitler and gas chambers at them while he was a teenager, but Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has said the claims are “made up twaddle” during a BBC interview.
“Reform is in full Donald Trump mode – when Donald Trump is accused, he goes after the accuser, and that is exactly where Richard Tice has ended up today,” says Jon Sopel.
“You don't ever admit that you've done anything wrong. It must be the person who's accusing you who is a liar.”
Emily Maitlis says Tice’s comments have “shifted the dial significantly” in the ongoing row about what Farage did or didn’t say 50 years ago – and who remembers what.
“Does Tice not believe people who are bringing forward allegations of anti-semitism all round, or is it just these ones because they affect Nigel Farage?” She asks.
How has Farage responded?
In a press conference on Thursday 4 December, Farage denied every claim made against him, describing the questions put to Tice as “despicable, and disgusting beyond belief.”
He demanded an apology from the BBC for the content it was broadcasting 50 years ago, saying what it screened in the 1970s would today be considered racist or homophobic.
"I was watching those programmes. They never made jokes about gassing Jews," says Jon.
He says there should be a politician's "template" on how to deal with resurfaced allegations like these, and it should be to admit, apologise and blame it all on immaturity.
"Your average person is going to think he sounds absolutely off his head," says Lewis.
"Talking about these references that are from another era, from another age, a lot of people, particularly younger voters, will not have a clue what he's talking about.
"It makes him sound like a drunk uncle at the bar, ranting and raving, rather than engaging with these serious charges."
He adds that today's performance was Farage at his "weakest" and "thin skinned, easy to offend, and nurturing a persecution complex."
Can Nigel Farage remember what he said 50 years ago?
Around 20 people who attended Dulwich College with Farage claim he made antisemitic jokes and sung racist chants at the school.
A Channel 4 investigation in 2013 revealed a letter from a teacher advising against him becoming a prefect due to his extremist views.
Richard Tice now wants the British public to doubt all the evidence against Farage, and trust that the Reform Party leader’s memory is the accurate account of what happened.
“Reform has reached the position that there is logical inconsistency between what the accusers are saying – which is how can these guys remember what Nigel Farage said so far back – at the same time as saying Nigel Farage didn't say it,” Jon says.
“Nigel Farage does remember, but these 20 people – who all corroborate each other's stories – don't remember accurately. You can't have both.”
Lewis Goodall says the ongoing row is “more serious” than a case of who remembers what, and diminishes the seriousness of antisemitism in the UK.
“What Tice has done today is to accuse people who are coming forward with serious charges, serious allegations of anti-semitism, which they themselves clearly feel deeply, of lying,” Lewis says.
“They are being highly dismissive of these claims.”
He adds that many parts of the press and political commentators which have "spent the last few years lecturing everybody else about not taking anti-semitism seriously" are either "curiously quiet", or "actively attacking" those making allegations against Farage.
Will this ongoing row affect Reform’s political prospects?
When antisemitism allegations against Farage were first made, he was the leader of UKIP, and responded in a way befitting that role.
In 2025, Emily says his response has been “more guarded”, and that he “fully expects to become prime minister at the next election.”
The allegations certainly aren't doing any damage to Reform UK's bank balance. It has this week been given £9 million by former Tory donor Christopher Harborne, the biggest UK donation ever given to a single political party ever.
"How did that £9 million come in right now? Is that somebody who just thinks: 'I don't care, I don't believe this'," Emily adds.
"If Labour or the Tories did anything like that, then the investments would drop.
"With Reform, it seems to go the other way."
To Jon, there's interest not only in the £9m from the former Tory donor, but also a smaller donation which may suggest the future course of right-wing journalism in the UK.
"There is also a smaller donation of £50,000 which I would argue is even more significant, and it's come from Lady Rothermere, wife of the owner of The Daily Mail," he says.
"Are we seeing a realignment of the right-wing newspapers to get behind Reform and to abandon the Conservative Party?
"Reform is in a position now where a lot of people think it is the alternative to the Conservative Party, and the Tories are done, so they're going to put their money into Reform."