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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month detailed the testimony of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, others have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Critics have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“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 apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”