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The United Kingdom'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 years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "constantly changing" denials had been difficult to believe.

“In his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Surface

A published report last month documented the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Since then, others have emerged; about 20 people have now stated they were either targets of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also point to his inability to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

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

He went on to say: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Demand for Accountability

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

“Bigotry in all its forms is anathema to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also not to say something,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently released a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”