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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "evolving" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month documented the testimony of more than a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

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

They also point to his failure to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He added: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he urgently needs acknowledge the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, so long ago.”