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The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his past behaviour. He noted that the politician's "constantly changing" explanations had been unconvincing.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month outlined the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil flanked by two similarly 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: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either victims of or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

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

They also reference his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He added: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for prime minister, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we should not let it to ever become legitimised in society.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a true statesman.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also not to say something,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later altered his position in an discussion, remarking: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Yes.”

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