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The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "evolving" denials had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Surface

A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to deeply offensive actions by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were not telling the truth.

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also cite his inability to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

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

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

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

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”