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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

“In his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the testimony of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

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

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

He added: “Suggesting that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he urgently needs confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his stance in an interview, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, decades in the past.”