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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Surface

A published report last month outlined the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, others have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also reference his failure to discipline a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Claiming that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

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

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” 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 understand as being written in a specific manner to communicate, but also not to say something,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the release of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”