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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

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

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That included me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either subject to or observed highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.

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

They also reference his reluctance to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a certain style to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his position in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later put out a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”