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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the accounts of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said 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 simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either victims of or observed hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Critics have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also reference his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he must address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It is very telling 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 dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”