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Nigel Farage has launched a tirade against the BBC aft helium was asked astir claims helium utilized racist and antisemitic connection erstwhile helium was astatine school, which helium denied.
The Reform UK person accused the broadcaster of "double standards", pointing to its past tv shows erstwhile helium claimed the BBC "were precise blessed to usage blackface".
The outburst comes arsenic helium faces continued pressure implicit allegations helium made racist and antisemitic comments portion a pupil astatine apical backstage schoolhouse Dulwich College astir 50 years ago.
Mr Farage was asked by the BBC astir an interrogation his deputy, Richard Tice, gave connected Thursday, successful which helium claimed those accusing his brag of racism were engaging successful "made-up twaddle".
The Reform person said the framing of the question by the BBC interviewer had been "despicable".
"I deliberation to framework a question astir the person of Reform's 'relationship with Hitler', which is however she framed it, was despicable, disgusting beyond belief," helium said.
"The treble standards and hypocrisy of the BBC are perfectly astonishing.
"At the clip I was alleged to person made these remarks, 1 of your astir fashionable play shows was 'The Black and White Minstrels'. The BBC were precise blessed to usage blackface."
He added: "I cannot enactment up with the treble standards astatine the BBC astir what I'm alleged to person said 49 years ago, and what you were putting retired connected mainstream content.
"So I privation an apology from the BBC for virtually everything you did during the 1970s and 80s."
Turning to the substance of the allegations, Mr Farage work retired a missive that helium said was from idiosyncratic who helium went to schoolhouse with.
He quotes the unnamed Jewish pupil arsenic saying: "While determination was plentifulness of macho, tongue-in-cheek schoolboy banter, it was humour. And yes, sometimes it was violative [...] but ne'er with malice.
"I ne'er heard him racially maltreatment anyone. If helium had, helium would person been reported and punished. He wasn't."
Mr Farage went connected to punctuation the unnamed erstwhile schoolhouse mate arsenic saying claims from erstwhile pupils reported by the Guardian and BBC were "without evidence, but for belatedly politically-dubious recollections from astir fractional a period ago".
He said the erstwhile pupil who had written to him had described the civilization successful the 1970s and astatine Dulwich College arsenic "very different", and "lots of boys said things they'd regret today".
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Mr Farage has been nether unit since mid-November erstwhile reports from erstwhile classmates of alleged racist comments surfaced. The Guardian claims it has spoken to 20 erstwhile classmates who callback specified language.
Challenged successful an interrogation connected 24 November if the claims were true, Mr Farage said: "No, this is 49 years agone by the way, 49 years ago. Have I ever tried to instrumentality it retired connected immoderate idiosyncratic connected the ground of wherever they're from? No."
He added: "I would never, ever bash it successful a hurtful oregon insulting way. It's 49 years ago. It's 49 years ago. I had conscionable entered my teens. Can I retrieve everything that happened astatine school? No, I can't. Have I ever been portion of an extremist organisation oregon engaged successful direct, unpleasant, idiosyncratic abuse, genuine abuse, connected that basis? No."
Challenged again astir whether helium had racially abused anyone, Farage responded: "No, not with intent."
A Conservative spokesperson said Mr Farage was excessively engaged defending himself to "defend democracy" from predetermination postponements announced by Labour.
"Nigel Farage conscionable called a property league and utilized it to rant astatine journalists implicit historical allegations of racism and antisemitism - allegations helium has conscionable admitted are true.
"Farage is excessively engaged furiously defending himself to support ideology from the Labour Party's elections delays.
"Reform's one-man set is successful chaos erstwhile again."
Labour Party seat Anna Turley said: "Nigel Farage can't get his communicative straight. It truly shouldn't beryllium this hard to accidental whether helium racially abused radical successful the past.
"So far, he's claimed helium can't remember, that it's not true, that helium ne'er 'directly' abused anyone, that helium was liable for 'offensive banter', and deflected by saying different radical were racist too.
"Instead of shamelessly demanding apologies from others, Nigel Farage should beryllium apologising to the victims of his alleged appalling remarks."
She added that Reform UK was "simply not acceptable for precocious office".
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