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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" denials had been unconvincing.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate 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 older Farage.

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

Following the initial report, additional individuals have emerged; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either subject to or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

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

They also reference his failure to discipline a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

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

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he must confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being written in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters before the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently put out a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”