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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader 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, judging by their accounts of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

“In his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Surface

A published report last month documented the accounts of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, others have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were misremembering.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also cite his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he must address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a other comments, the Chancellor 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 recognise as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an appearance, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”