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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been less than credible.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

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

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The incidents they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

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

They also cite his inability to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his nasty behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he must address the fears of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a separate interview, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being written in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”