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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Surface

A series of inquiries last month detailed the accounts of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were being untruthful.

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

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, so long ago.”