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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "shifting" denials had been less than credible.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month documented the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

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

Following the initial report, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or observed highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Critics have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also point to his reluctance to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He added: “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 legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to address the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in public life.”

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

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an interview, remarking: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”