Top Law Officer Calls On Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Alleged Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" statements had been less than credible.

“In his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Surface

A recent investigation last month documented the statements of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

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

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now alleged they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they described cover the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Evolving Explanations

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

Observers have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his responses.

They also point to his inability to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the statements.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He went on to say: “Claiming that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must acknowledge the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in society.”

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

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, decades in the past.”