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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 school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the testimony of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me 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; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive past behaviour by Farage.

The behaviour they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

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

They also point to his inability to discipline a party member, a MP, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

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

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he urgently needs confront the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in society.”

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

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”