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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.

“In his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The incidents they described cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were misremembering.

Critics have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Arguing that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he must address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an interview, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, decades in the past.”