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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That included 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, others have come forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or observed deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

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

They also cite his failure to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate 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 stated.

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

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

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, 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? Yes.”

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