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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

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

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

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month detailed the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

Observers have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also point to his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

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

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”