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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

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

“In his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A published report last month documented the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have emerged; approximately twenty people have now claimed they were either victims of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Critics have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also reference his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”