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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 allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "shifting" statements had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A recent investigation last month detailed the statements of several former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either targets of or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The behaviour they described relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were misremembering.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also reference his reluctance to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he has to address the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise 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 cannot allow it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an interview, saying: “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 sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later released a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”