🔗 Share this article

The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

“During his answers to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A series of inquiries last month outlined the testimony of more than a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to simulate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have come forward; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either victims of or saw hurtful actions by Farage.

The behaviour they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged between 13 and 18.

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the former classmates were misremembering.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his denials.

They also point to his inability to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He added: “Suggesting that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Call for Leadership

“If he wants to be seen as a legitimate candidate for prime minister, he urgently needs confront the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in public life.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a certain style to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his stance in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He commented that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards put out a new statement: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”