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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

New Allegations Surface

A recent investigation last month documented the testimony of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

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

They also point to his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

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

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals 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 must not permit it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly 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 as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”