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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Emerge

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

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

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the former classmates were being untruthful.

Critics have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his denials.

They also cite his inability to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Arguing that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he has to address the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we should not let 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 little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”