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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "evolving" denials had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, others have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

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

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. 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 went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”