Antisemitism allegations against the teenage Farage matter look at what he went on to do | Jonathan Freedland

"Nigel Farage could have strangled this story at birth. Confronted with the testimony of more than 20 former schoolmates, who shared with the Guardian their memories of a young Farage taunting Jews and other minorities in the most appalling terms telling a Jewish pupil that Hitler was right, singing Gas 'em all and making a hissing sound to simulate lethal gas he could have said: I have no memory of what's been described, but such behaviour would of course have been atrocious and if I was involved in any way, I am genuinely sorry."

"But that is not what Farage did. Instead, he and his party have offered shifting accounts, moving from outright denial to non-denial denial and back again. That slipperiness itself raises questions about the character of the man who, according to the polls, is on course to be Britain's next prime minister. But this episode also points to a larger and more alarming phenomenon, one that stretches far beyond these shores."

"Farage's defence rests on three pillars, each one of which is shaky. The first response has been to say the accusations are all untrue or, to put it another way, that his accusers are liars. As at least one of them has pointed out, that is itself an antisemitic trope: that Jews lie about their own suffering in pursuit of some devious, unstated end. The second line of defence insists that Farage never did these things but, if he did, it would be irrelevant because he was only a child at the time."

Nigel Farage faced allegations from more than 20 former schoolmates describing overt antisemitic and racist behaviour, including urging a Jewish pupil that Hitler was right and singing about gas. Farage could have offered a conditional apology acknowledging the atrocity of such behaviour and expressing regret if involved, but instead he and his party provided shifting, evasive responses. The defence strategy has included outright denial, accusing accusers of lying, and arguing that childhood actions would be irrelevant. Such tactics both call character into question and illustrate a wider, concerning pattern of denial and minimization.

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