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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the politician's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month detailed the accounts of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic 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 came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

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

They also cite his failure to discipline a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Claiming 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 must confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in public life.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a certain style to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”