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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "constantly changing" denials had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A published report last month outlined the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either targets of or witnesses to deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The incidents they described relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were not telling the truth.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also point to his failure to reprimand a party member, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he must acknowledge the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an interview, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”