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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been less than credible.

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

Fresh Claims Surface

A series of inquiries last month detailed the statements of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have come forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also point to his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being written in a particular way to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely 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, nearly 50 years ago.”