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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "shifting" denials had been difficult to believe.

“During his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month detailed the statements of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have emerged; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either targets of or witnesses to hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the former classmates were being untruthful.

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his denials.

They also point to his failure to discipline a colleague in his party, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

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

He added: “Arguing that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a certain style to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his position in an interview, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”