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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates 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 descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been difficult to believe.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month detailed the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either subject to or witnesses to highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The incidents they described cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

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

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

They also reference his reluctance to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

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

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

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves 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 crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, decades in the past.”