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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

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

“In his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

New Allegations Surface

A series of inquiries last month documented the accounts of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach 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 about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

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

Observers have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also cite his failure to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

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

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he urgently needs confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” 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 crafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”