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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

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

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

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

Observers have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also point to his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he urgently needs address the anxieties 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 principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an interview, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”