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The UK's top law officer, 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, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month detailed the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

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

The incidents they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were not telling the truth.

Critics have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also point to his failure to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

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

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a certain style to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an interview, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”