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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 issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That included me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also point to his inability to reprimand a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Arguing that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he urgently needs address the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”