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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 school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He noted that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Surface

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, others have emerged; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either victims of or observed highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were being untruthful.

Observers have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also reference his inability to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

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

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he has to acknowledge the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”