Top Law Officer Demands Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Alleged Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been less than credible.

“In his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have stepped forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The incidents they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were misremembering.

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

They also cite his reluctance to discipline a colleague in his party, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the comments.

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

He added: “Suggesting that a group of people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

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

“Bigotry in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the report, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could view as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”