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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated 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 equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

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

They also reference his failure to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to address the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“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 “say something” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”