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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month documented the testimony of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

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

They also reference his reluctance to reprimand a party member, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he must confront 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 completely opposed to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”