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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

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

After the story broke, more people have emerged; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also reference his failure to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he urgently needs address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“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 particular way to say something, but also not to say something,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his position in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”