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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his alleged conduct. He commented that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been less than credible.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Observers have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also cite his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a certain style to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”