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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "shifting" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘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 student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The incidents they described cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.

Commentators have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also cite his failure to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

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

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being written in a particular way to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an interview, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”