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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "shifting" statements had been less than credible.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

New Allegations Surface

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated 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 with two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

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

They also cite his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Claiming that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he has to address the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

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

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”