🔗 Share this article

The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their school days.

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

“During his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a publication.

New Allegations Come to Light

A published report last month detailed the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment 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 included me on three occasions; asking me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, more people have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive past behaviour by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Observers have pointed out that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also point to his failure to discipline a party member, a MP, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the remarks.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He added: “Arguing that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Question of Character

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

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

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It speaks volumes how little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would recognise as being drafted in a specific manner to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In lawyers' communications before the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his explanation in an discussion, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a modern light today in a certain manner? Yes.”

He added that he had “never directly sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards released a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been published when I was 13, decades in the past.”