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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 issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been less than credible.

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

Further Testimonies Surface

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

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

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

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

They also cite his reluctance to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

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

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”