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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He noted that the politician's "shifting" statements had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

Critics have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also reference his failure to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the remarks.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he must acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in society.”

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

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”