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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A published report last month detailed the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "would approach 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 Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

After the story broke, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or observed deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

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

They also point to his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have somehow misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being written in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the report, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later released 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.”