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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed hurtful actions by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

Observers have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also reference his inability to sanction a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the remarks.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being written in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, saying: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”