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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been unconvincing.

“Throughout his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were not telling the truth.

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

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

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

He added: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he urgently needs address the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an interview, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, decades in the past.”