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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the politician's "shifting" denials had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ 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 subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or saw highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Arguing that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires 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 said.

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

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”