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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He added that the leader's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A published report last month outlined the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making 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 singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The behaviour they described cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

Observers 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 reluctance to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

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

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

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

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”