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The UK'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 assert he racially abused them during their time at school.

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

“During his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A series of inquiries last month outlined the accounts of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a private college.

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

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

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

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

They also point to his inability to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

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

He added: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have somehow misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he urgently needs address the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”