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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "shifting" statements had been difficult to believe.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to 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 pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 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.

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

They also reference his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a separate interview, 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 very careful language 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 legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely sought 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 reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”