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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been unconvincing.

“Throughout his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month outlined the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

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

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also reference his failure to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Claiming that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

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

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being written in a certain style to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”