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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month detailed the accounts of several former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have come forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were being untruthful.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also cite his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he has to confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being written in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Yes.”

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