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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the leader's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.

“In his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Surface

A published report last month documented the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic 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 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have come forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were not telling the truth.

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 discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He continued: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he has to confront the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”