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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim 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 alleged conduct. He added that the politician's "shifting" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the statements of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That included me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, others have come forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either targets of or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The incidents they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also reference his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the remarks.

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

He went on to say: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a certain style to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”