Starmer brands Farage ‘spineless’ amid claims about his schooldays

Sir Keir Starmer has branded Nigel Farage “spineless” and called on the Reform UK leader to explain himself over claims of racist behaviour during his days at a top public school.

The Prime Minister said Mr Farage did not have a “good track record” because he failed to take action against Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s “racist” remarks about the number of ethnic minorities appearing in television adverts.

Mr Farage, who denies the claims about his behaviour while at Dulwich College as a teenager, hit back at Sir Keir’s “ludicrous” comments.

Sir Keir was asked about a Guardian report based on allegations from more than a dozen school contemporaries of Mr Farage, 61, who recounted incidents of deeply offensive behaviour throughout his teenage years.

The Labour leader told reporters travelling with him to the G20 summit in South Africa: “He needs to explain the comments, or alleged comments that were made, and he needs to do that as soon as possible.

“He hasn’t got a good track record in relation to this because Sarah Pochin, his MP, made some clearly racist comments and Nigel Farage has done absolutely nothing about it.

“The man is spineless. If that had been someone in my party, I’d have dealt with it straight away. He needs to explain the latest allegations and whilst he’s at it he needs to explain why he’s too spineless to take action in relation to what is obvious racism in the comments of his fellow MP.

“So far he’s said absolutely nothing about it. He’s got plenty to say about plenty of things, apart from showing some leadership when it comes to racism.”

Mr Farage, who has threatened legal action over the claims, responded: “For the weakest Prime Minister in living memory to call me spineless is utterly ludicrous.

“The voters will have their say on both of us at the ballot box next May.”

A Reform source said the Prime Minister was “desperate, sinking in the polls and lashing out”.

A spokesman for the party also said the allegations reported in the Guardian “are entirely without foundation” and said the newspaper “has produced no contemporaneous record or corroborating evidence to support these disputed recollections from nearly 50 years ago”.

Ms Pochin last month said she was driven “mad” by seeing “adverts full of black and Asian people”, comments that sparked widespread criticism.

Among those making allegations in the Guardian was the Bafta and Emmy-award winning director Peter Ettedgui, 61, who claimed to have been verbally abused by Farage repeatedly as a 13 and 14-year-old.

“He would sidle up to me and growl ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘Gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers,” Mr Ettedgui claimed of his experience of being in a class with Mr Farage.