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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his alleged conduct. He added that the politician's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Surface

A published report last month documented the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

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

Since then, more people have come forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The incidents they outlined span the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

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

Commentators have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his denials.

They also reference his failure to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must address the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

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

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being drafted in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an interview, saying: “Did I say things decades ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, so long ago.”