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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been difficult to believe.

“During his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the testimony of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were being untruthful.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also reference his inability to discipline a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he must address the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

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

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage later issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, decades in the past.”