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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his alleged conduct. He noted that the politician's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month documented the statements of several former classmates of Farage from a private college.

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

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or observed hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

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

He went on to say: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as 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 identify as being written in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, decades in the past.”