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The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who assert he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the leader's "evolving" statements had been less than credible.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the statements of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

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

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Following the initial report, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or observed highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

The behaviour they outlined cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Denials and Shifting Positions

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were being untruthful.

Critics 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 reluctance to sanction a party member, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later apologised for the comments.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

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

Call for Leadership

“If he aspires to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he has to acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in society.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to appear as a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing 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 formal correspondence prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards released a fresh denial: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”