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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their accounts of his alleged conduct. He added that the leader's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

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

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month outlined the accounts of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, a former pupil, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

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

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the accusers were misremembering.

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

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a party member, 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 evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he must confront the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

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

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the release of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his explanation in an discussion, remarking: “Did I say things decades ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He added that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later released a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”