🔗 Share this article

The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, judging by their accounts of his past behaviour. He commented that the politician's "shifting" statements had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Emerge

A recent investigation last month documented the statements of several former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, a former pupil, recalled that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘gas them’, occasionally including a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That included me on three separate times; asking me where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

Since then, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now stated they were either targets of or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

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

Changing Stories

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

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also cite his inability to reprimand a party member, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in adverts. She later expressed regret for the comments.

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

He added: “Arguing 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 credible figure for prime minister, he must confront 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 values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become normalised in public life.”

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

“It is very telling how little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would identify as being drafted in a specific manner to say something, but also not to say something,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In formal correspondence prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s legal team stated that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever engaged in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is categorically denied”.

Farage later seemingly shifted his stance in an discussion, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Perhaps.”

He said that he had “not once intentionally really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage afterwards released a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, nearly 50 years ago.”