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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his alleged conduct. He added that the politician's "evolving" denials had been difficult to believe.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

New Allegations Come to Light

A recent investigation last month documented the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding 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 similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either victims of or observed deeply offensive actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were misremembering.

Observers have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also reference his inability to discipline a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a particular way to communicate, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, saying: “Did I say 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? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”