Attorney General Demands Reform UK Leader to Apologise Over Alleged Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "evolving" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A published report last month documented the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would approach me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; about 20 people have now stated they were either targets of or saw hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they recounted span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were not telling the truth.

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

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account 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."

Demand for Accountability

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he urgently needs confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, decades in the past.”