🔗 Share this article

The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates 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 leader's "constantly changing" denials had been difficult to believe.

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

Fresh Claims Come to Light

A published report last month documented the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and say: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority alleged that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He approached a pupil with two equally tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘different’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you said you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have stepped forward; approximately twenty people have now stated they were either targets of or witnesses to highly inappropriate conduct by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

The political figure has denied that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were misremembering.

Critics have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also reference his failure to discipline a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the statements.

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

He went on to say: “Suggesting that a group of people have somehow recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he urgently needs acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish people, and apologise to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a separate interview, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would understand as being crafted in a specific manner to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led this behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things as a youth that you could see as being banter, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been reported when I was 13, nearly 50 years ago.”