Attorney General Urges 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 called on the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his actions as a youth. He added that the politician's "shifting" denials had been less than credible.

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

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month documented the testimony of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘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 stated 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 spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either victims of or observed hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

The Reform leader has disputed that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the former classmates were being untruthful.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his statements.

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

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

He continued: “Arguing that two dozen individuals have somehow forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he has to address the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the those he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the principles of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in politics.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It says a lot how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being written in a certain style to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she noted.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an discussion, stating: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some way? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and hurt anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”