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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

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

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

Commentators have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to address the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It says a lot how 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 communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

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

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things as a youth that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”