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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month documented the statements of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

Observers have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also reference his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as 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 drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “never directly sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”