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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

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 difficult to believe.

“Throughout his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

A series of inquiries last month detailed the testimony of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were being untruthful.

Observers have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his denials.

They also cite his failure to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He added: “Claiming that a group of people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he urgently needs confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”