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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 targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" denials had been unconvincing.

“During his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month documented the statements of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage 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 claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they described cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also point to his failure to sanction a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he urgently needs address the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently released a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”