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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 targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He added that the leader's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

New Allegations Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or observed hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described relate to the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also point to his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, 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 constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

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

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”