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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been less than credible.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of more than a dozen former classmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were being untruthful.

Observers have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Claiming that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a particular way to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”