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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He commented that the politician's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

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

Following the initial report, others have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the former classmates were being untruthful.

Commentators 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 discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

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

He added: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he has to address the anxieties of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being written in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, so long ago.”