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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

New Allegations Emerge

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil with two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either victims of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were not telling the truth.

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

They also point to his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

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

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his position in an appearance, 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? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”