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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Surface

A series of inquiries last month documented the accounts of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either victims of or saw hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were being untruthful.

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also cite his inability to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

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

He went on to say: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he must confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset 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.”