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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“In his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A published report last month documented the accounts of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making 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 singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were being untruthful.

Observers have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also cite his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

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

He added: “Claiming that a group of people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”