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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their accounts of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "constantly changing" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Surface

A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or observed highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his denials.

They also cite his inability to discipline a party member, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his position in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”