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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 school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A published report last month detailed the accounts of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

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

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were not telling the truth.

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

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the remarks.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he urgently needs address the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a particular way to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his position in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”