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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been less than credible.

“In his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would approach me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were being untruthful.

Observers have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also point to his inability to sanction a party member, a MP, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he urgently needs confront the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being written in a specific manner to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”