The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has demanded Nigel Farage to apologise to school contemporaries who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.
Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "constantly changing" denials had been difficult to believe.
“In his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.
A series of inquiries last month documented the accounts of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.
One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, 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 subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.
“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the former student said. “That included me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”
After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw deeply offensive actions by Farage.
The behaviour they recounted span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.
The Reform leader has denied 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 outright in his statements.
They also reference his inability to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the remarks.
“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer said.
He went on to say: “Arguing that 20 people have somehow forgotten the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."
“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.
“Bigotry 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 different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “say something” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.
“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a particular way to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.
In lawyers' communications before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the implication that Mr Farage ever was involved in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is strongly rejected”.
Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, saying: “Have I said things 50 years ago that you could see as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Possibly.”
He commented that he had “never directly really tried to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”
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