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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either targets of or saw hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the former classmates were misremembering.

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

They also cite his reluctance 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 statements.

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

He added: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs address the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”