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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A published report last month documented the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were misremembering.

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

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

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

He continued: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a certain style to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”