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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.

“Throughout his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

New Allegations Surface

A series of inquiries last month outlined the accounts of more than a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were misremembering.

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

They also cite his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

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

He continued: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he must address the anxieties of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as 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 identify as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the report, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an interview, remarking: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”