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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

“In his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month detailed the accounts of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That included me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or observed deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the former classmates were being untruthful.

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

They also point to his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he urgently needs address the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

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

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, stating: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”