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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been less than credible.

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

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month detailed the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have emerged; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

Observers have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also point to his inability to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”