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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" denials had been less than credible.

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

Further Testimonies Surface

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil with two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were misremembering.

Observers have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also reference his inability to sanction a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Arguing that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being written in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “never directly attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”