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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

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

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, others have come forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were misremembering.

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

They also cite his failure to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He went on to say: “Arguing that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his position in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”