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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 targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "evolving" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making 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 subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either targets of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted 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 denials.

They also reference his inability to sanction a party member, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must confront the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as 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 drafted in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

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

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