Top Law Officer Calls On Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Claimed Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who allege he targeted with racist abuse them during their school days.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "evolving" statements had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer stated to a publication.

Further Testimonies Surface

A published report last month outlined the testimony of several one-time schoolmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, sometimes adding a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another pupil from an ethnic minority claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘unusual’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either subject to or witnesses to hurtful actions by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His constantly changing story about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Claiming that a group of people have all recalled incorrectly the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Question of Character

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for high office, he has to acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would understand as being written in a particular way to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s legal team claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an interview, remarking: “Did I say things decades ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage afterwards issued a new statement: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”