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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "shifting" statements had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

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

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That included me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

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

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, so long ago.”