Farage has never challenged claims in the book that he was racist and sang Nazi songs when he was at school. His response has been to admit saying, "some ridiculous things … not necessarily racist things… it depends on how you define it".
This is the recollection of one fellow pupil from a minority ethnic background who claimed he was targeted by a 17-year-old Farage:
“I was very small in one of the junior classes of the time, and you know that the sixth-formers were probably 17, very tall, much taller than me. And [Farage's] walk, it’s the same walk he has now, I’ll never forget it.
“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’. That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you replied you were from."
Farage is said to have walked a considerable distance from the upper school, via the middle school, past different amenities and finally through a gap into the lower school playground to deliver these threats. How many kids do that?
Crick had revealed the existence of a letter from an English teacher at the college, who opposed a decision to make Farage a prefect in 1981, describing him as having “publicly professed racist and neo-fascist views”. I honestly don't believe this has ever happened to any other pupil at any other school in the UK, in the state or public sector, in our entire history. It must be unique.
Some of Farage's contemporaries now admit to having joined in some of the songs, but "deeply regret" it now. Has Farage ever distanced himself from the stench of racism? Sending a lawyerly letter isn't the same as coming clean and publicly disassociating himself from his own past behaviour. I would suggest that he can't because it's part of his USP. Half his followers would quit the party if he did.
The problem with men like Farage is that racism is the whole point of his existence. He would be prepared to pay almost any price to achieve his objectives. Breaking the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU wouldn't bother him at all. Neither would rounding up foreigners for deportation ICE style. Economic policy would be well down the list of priorities, and if you object or protest, he'd send the army in.
One former chum said his motivation for speaking out now about events that took place more than four decades ago is this: “Just look at the Nolan principles [on the required standards in public office]: integrity, honesty, selfless commitment, that sort of thing. Nigel just doesn’t have these qualities.”
Not only does Farage lack those qualities, he has never shown any competence at any political job in any capacity. He is a disruptor, plain and simple. Nothing else. But even more than that, he can't even work with colleagues.
The list of people who have left his inner circle after rows is amazing. Rupert Lowe, Ben Habib, Alan Sked, have all worked closely with Farage and then denounced him and stormed out. He can't hold a policy position for more than a couple of days.
The idea that he could be PM in a few years is simply stunning. But here we are.
