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The UK's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" statements had been less than credible.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

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

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have come forward; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

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

Observers have noted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

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

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Claiming that 20 people have all forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he urgently needs acknowledge the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people 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 normalised 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 speaks volumes how 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 communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things decades ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, decades in the past.”