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The UK's top law officer, 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 time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "evolving" statements had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month documented the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have emerged; about 20 people have now alleged they were either targets of or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were not telling the truth.

Observers have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

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

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being written in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Yes.”

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