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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries 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 alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been unconvincing.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month documented the accounts of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

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

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

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

After the story broke, others have emerged; about 20 people have now alleged they were either targets of or observed highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Observers have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also point to his failure to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

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

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must address the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

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

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a certain style to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage later put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”