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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

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

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A recent investigation last month outlined the accounts of more than a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also cite his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that a group of people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a genuine 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 drafted in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

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

Farage later altered his position in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things as a youth that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”