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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

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

Further Testimonies Surface

A recent investigation last month detailed the accounts of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

Since then, additional individuals have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful conduct by Farage.

The incidents they described cover the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the accusers were not telling the truth.

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

They also point to his failure to sanction a colleague in his party, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Claiming that 20 people have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he urgently needs acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Racism in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in public life.”

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

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the report, Farage’s legal team stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an discussion, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”