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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 assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been less than credible.

“In his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were being untruthful.

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also cite his failure to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten 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 the top job, he has to confront the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, 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? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”