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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his alleged conduct. He commented that the politician's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month detailed the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a teenage Farage "came up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, others have emerged; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were not telling the truth.

Observers have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being written in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He added that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently released a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”