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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That included me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

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

The incidents they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

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

Critics have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

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

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered 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 recognise as being written in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”