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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were being untruthful.

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

They also reference his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he must acknowledge the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being written in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

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

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage later released a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”