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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

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

“Throughout his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month outlined the testimony of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ 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 about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That involved me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were being untruthful.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also point to his inability to sanction a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He went on to say: “Claiming that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he has to acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the report, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage later released a fresh denial: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, so long ago.”