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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

“In his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month detailed the statements of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, 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 older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed hurtful conduct by Farage.

The alleged events they recounted span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Commentators have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also reference his inability to discipline a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever was involved in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, so long ago.”