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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“During his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

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

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

The incidents they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.

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

They also reference his failure to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs address the anxieties of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

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

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Yes.”

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