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

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "evolving" explanations had been less than credible.

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

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month outlined the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were being untruthful.

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 inability to reprimand a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

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

He added: “Suggesting that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

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

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

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

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently put out 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.”