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The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He noted that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been less than credible.

“Throughout his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

New Allegations Surface

A recent investigation last month outlined the accounts of more than a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Since then, more people have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were not telling the truth.

Critics have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also reference his failure to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

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

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he has to address the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

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

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his position in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some way? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage later released a further comment: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, so long ago.”