Attorney General Demands Reform UK Leader to Apologise Over Reported Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

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

Hermer remarked that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Surface

A recent investigation last month outlined the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the former classmates were misremembering.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also point to his failure to reprimand a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes 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.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, so long ago.”