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

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

“During his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A recent investigation last month detailed the accounts of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, others have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either targets of or observed deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

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

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

They also reference his failure to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Bigotry in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being written in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an interview, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”