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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has demanded Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He commented that the politician's "shifting" denials had been less than credible.

“During his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month detailed the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, others have emerged; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were misremembering.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his statements.

They also reference his inability to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He went on to say: “Suggesting that two dozen individuals have all misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he must address the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a other comments, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being written in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”