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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his actions as a youth. He added that the leader's "shifting" denials had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the testimony of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, described that a teenage Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either subject to or witnesses to highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" 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 responses.

They also point to his failure to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

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

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he has to address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

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

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things decades ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “never directly really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards released a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”