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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "evolving" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either victims of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

Critics have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

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