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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been less than credible.

“Throughout his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

New Allegations Surface

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also point to his inability to discipline a party member, a MP, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

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

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he urgently needs address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in society.”

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

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being written in a certain style to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards released a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”