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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 time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

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

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw hurtful actions by Farage.

The alleged events they described span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

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

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

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

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Claiming that a group of people have somehow forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he urgently needs acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as 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 understand as being written in a particular way to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently released 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.”