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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 targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

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

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month documented the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

Critics have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also point to his inability to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to confront the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his stance in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage later released a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, decades in the past.”