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The United Kingdom's attorney general, 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 past behaviour. He added that the politician's "evolving" explanations had been less than credible.

“During his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A recent investigation last month detailed the accounts of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would approach me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

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

Since then, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the individuals were being untruthful.

Critics have highlighted that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also point to his reluctance to discipline a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have somehow misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must confront the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the standards of this country and we cannot allow it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his stance in an discussion, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage later released a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, decades in the past.”