Starmer labels Farage ‘spineless’ over alleged school comments
SIR Keir Starmer has branded Nigel Farage “spineless” after the Reform Party leader faced allegations of making racist remarks in his youth, reports BritPanorama.
Accusations emerged that Mr Farage sang a song titled “gas em all” during his time at Dulwich College, a private school. The controversial content is linked to the Holocaust, raising significant concerns about the former UKIP leader’s past behavior.
While traveling to the G20 summit in South Africa, Prime Minister Starmer asserted that Mr Farage has questions to answer regarding these allegations. He also criticized the Reform Party for not addressing comments made by MP Sarah Pochin, who stated there are “too many minority people in telly adverts.”
Starmer emphasized, “He needs to explain those comments. I put that challenge indirectly to him at Prime Minister’s Questions. He hasn’t got a good track record in relation to this…”
He continued, noting that if such comments arose within his own party, he would have dealt with them immediately. “The man is spineless… he needs to explain why he’s too spineless to take action regarding the obvious racism in the comments of his fellow MP,” Starmer stated.
A spokesperson for the Reform Party claimed the Prime Minister is “desperate, sinking in the polls and lashing out.” Mr Farage, in response, dismissed the allegations, stating, “For the weakest Prime Minister in living memory to call me spineless is utterly ludicrous.” He reiterated that the electorate would express their views at the ballot box next May.
Additional allegations directed towards Mr Farage surfaced from Peter Ettedgui, a Bafta and Emmy award-winning director, who recollected that Farage would make unsettling comments, including “Hitler was right,” and simulate the sounds associated with gas chambers while a student. These statements were made during discussions with Ettedgui, whose family had fled Nazi Germany.
A spokesperson for Reform UK has denied these claims, labelling them as further attempts to malign the party. The unfolding controversy underscores ongoing debates within UK politics surrounding matters of race and accountability.
Starmer’s recent critique of comments made by Reform councillor Andy Osborn, which labeled children in care as “downright evil,” adds another layer to the complex dynamics between parties within Parliament.
Osborn is currently under investigation for his remarks made during a meeting at the Cambridgeshire County Council in June.
Mr Farage did not directly respond to the Prime Minister’s inquiries during the recent Prime Minister’s Questions session.
The latest incidents highlight the continuing tensions over issues of integrity and leadership within UK politics, as parties navigate a landscape increasingly shaped by accusations of prejudice and the need for accountability.
The political climate in the UK demonstrates deepening rifts over how leaders confront allegations against their own members, particularly as societal expectations around inclusivity and representation evolve.
