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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been less than credible.

“During his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month detailed the statements of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have emerged; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

Commentators have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

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

He added: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he must confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”