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The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

“Throughout his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the statements of several former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have emerged; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either victims of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The incidents they outlined span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also reference his inability to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the comments.

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

He went on to say: “Claiming that a group of people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he has to address the anxieties of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being written in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”