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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“During his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Surface

A series of inquiries last month detailed the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were misremembering.

Observers have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also cite his failure to discipline 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 shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He added: “Claiming that a group of people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he has to acknowledge the anxieties 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 abhorrent to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, decades in the past.”