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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" explanations had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were misremembering.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

They also reference his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He went on to say: “Suggesting that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he must confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real 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 certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an interview, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”