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

Hermer stated 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 unconvincing.

“During his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

New Allegations Emerge

A recent investigation last month detailed the statements of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed deeply offensive past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were misremembering.

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

They also point to his inability to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the comments.

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

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”