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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his alleged conduct. He noted that the politician's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

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

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said 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 saw deeply offensive actions by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the former classmates were misremembering.

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

They also reference his reluctance to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. 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 continued: “Arguing that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his position in an discussion, remarking: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “never directly sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “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.”