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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their time at school.

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

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month detailed the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either victims of or witnesses to deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were misremembering.

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

They also point to his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

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

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being written in a specific manner to communicate, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Yes.”

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