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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "shifting" denials had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A recent investigation last month outlined the accounts of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That included me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they described relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were misremembering.

Critics have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also reference his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the comments.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Suggesting that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to address the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed 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 look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an interview, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later released a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”