Richard Tice is facing criticism for allegedly downplaying accusations against Nigel Farage dating back to his school days as being fabricated. The Deputy Leader of Reform UK sparked outrage by seemingly dismissing claims made by Peter Ettedgui, a director whose family escaped the Nazis, during a recent interview on BBC Radio 4. Ettedgui, recalling events from when he was 13, asserted that Tice expressed disturbing sentiments such as “Hitler was right” and “Gas them,” accompanied by a hissing sound mimicking gas chambers.
Farage has refuted these long-standing claims and emphasized his commitment to never racially insulting or harming individuals. Reform UK has strongly refuted the allegations, labeling them as part of a targeted smear campaign against their leader.
Lord Mann, the Government’s antisemitism advisor, has urged Tice to issue an apology, denouncing his comments as disgraceful. He highlighted the potential harm caused to victims of antisemitism and condemned any insinuation of a politically motivated attack as baseless.
Ettedgui is among several former classmates from Farage’s time at Dulwich College who have come forward with similar allegations of pro-Hitler remarks. A group of eleven Holocaust survivors has demanded clarity from Farage regarding his interactions with classmates, including individuals like Hedi Argent and Simon Winston, who have personal experiences of the atrocities of Nazi camps and ghettos.
MP Joani Reid, chair of the parliamentary group against antisemitism, criticized Tice for discrediting individuals who bravely shared their encounters with racism. She expressed concern that Tice’s actions could deter other victims from speaking out, urging him to apologize or step down from his position.
Reform UK has been contacted for a response to the ongoing controversy.