Attorney General Demands Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Reported Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, according to their accounts of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“In his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

Fresh Claims Emerge

A series of inquiries last month documented the statements of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 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 being untruthful.

Observers have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also point to 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 expressed regret for the statements.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that 20 people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

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

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a other comments, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently put out 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.”