As a Holocaust survivor, this is why I'm demanding answers from Nigel Farage

In total, 28 former pupils and teachers have now described Farage’s racist and antisemitic behaviour at school, including mimicking the sounds of gas chambers.

Farage has dismissed this as "banter in a playground."

I am a Holocaust survivor. My grandparents died in gas chambers at Auschwitz. There is no such thing as Holocaust banter.

I was born in Nazi-occupied Holland in February 1943. My mother gave birth to me in complete silence, without medication. Any sound could have meant death.

When German soldiers raided the house where I was hidden, I was asleep in the attic. I did not cry. That silence saved my life.

My hair was dyed blonde to hide that I was Jewish. I survived because brave people risked their lives to protect me - my Uncle Jaap, Nurse Pop who ran the children's home, neighbours who never betrayed us. They knew hatred starts with words and ends with death.

My grandparents were not so lucky. They died in the same gas chambers Farage allegedly mocked with hissing sounds as a teenager.

Farage wants to be Prime Minister of Britain - the country whose soldiers liberated Holland and gave us peace. Yet his response to these allegations has constantly changed.

Farage has gone from denying it to admitting saying things that could be "interpreted" as offensive. He claimed he never said anything racist "directly" to anyone, then said nothing was said "with malice" and that "recollections may vary."

But 28 people's recollections do not vary. They remember his words decades later because they hurt deeply. One former pupil described him as having a "fascination with gassing Jews." Another called his behaviour "personal, vindictive" and "highly racist" - not banter.

His changing story tells me he knows what he did.

So I am asking him directly: Did he say "Hitler was right" and "gas them" to Peter Ettedgui and others? Did he make gas hissing noises at Jewish boys?

If he didn't, is he saying that Peter and the eight others who corroborate his account are lying? Are all 28 witnesses lying? If he did say these things, he should acknowledge it and apologise.

I survived to bear witness. I will not be silent while the language of gas chambers is treated as a joke.

Mr Farage has a choice. The country is watching.

_________________

Hanneke Dye is a Holocaust survivor.

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk