Top Law Officer Demands Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Alleged Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.

The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the politician's "constantly changing" statements had been unconvincing.

“During his replies to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month outlined the testimony of several ex-pupils of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a teenage Farage "would sidle up to me and say: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

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

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said 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 highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

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

Evolving Explanations

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

Commentators have pointed out that Farage has failed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also cite his reluctance to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He went on to say: “Suggesting that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply is not believable."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wishes to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he must address the anxieties of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Bigotry in all its forms is abhorrent to the principles of this country and we should not let it to ever become normalised in politics.”

In a different discussion, a senior politician said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a genuine leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters before the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever was involved in, approved of, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Have I said things as a youth that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in a certain manner? Perhaps.”

He added that he had “never directly really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards released a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”