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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or observed hurtful conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they described relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Observers have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also cite his reluctance to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Claiming that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he urgently needs confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently issued 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.”