Top Law Officer Urges Reform UK Leader to Apologise Over Reported Racism and Antisemitism.

The United Kingdom's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has urged the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He commented that the leader's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

“In his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage actually condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month detailed the accounts of several former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would approach me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He approached a pupil flanked by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That happened to me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

Following the initial report, additional individuals have come forward; about 20 people have now claimed they were either subject to or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they described cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has suggested the former classmates were not telling the truth.

Observers have noted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.

They also cite his reluctance to discipline a party member, a MP, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later apologised for the comments.

“Nigel Farage’s shifting account about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

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

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for high office, he has to confront the fears of the Jewish people, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

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

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever engaged in, condoned, or led this behaviour is strongly rejected”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an discussion, remarking: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He commented that he had “not once intentionally attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards released a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported as a 13-year-old, so long ago.”