🔗 Share this article

The United Kingdom's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has demanded Nigel Farage to issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer stated that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, judging by their descriptions of his alleged conduct. He noted that the leader's "evolving" explanations had been unconvincing.

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

Further Testimonies Surface

A series of inquiries last month outlined the accounts of more than a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, said that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘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 pupil from an ethnic minority stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil accompanied by two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you answered you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or saw deeply offensive conduct by Farage.

The incidents they recounted relate to the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Evolving Explanations

The Reform leader has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the former classmates were misremembering.

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

They also point to his reluctance to sanction a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his Jewish classmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.

He continued: “Arguing that a group of people have somehow misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for high office, he has to acknowledge the anxieties of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the those he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

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

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to be considered a real leader.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the very careful language that both you and I would identify as being crafted in a particular way to say something, but also not to say something,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence before the publication of the report, Farage’s legal team asserted that “the allegation that Mr Farage ever took part in, supported, or led racist or antisemitic behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his explanation 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 some way? Possibly.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely really tried to go and harm anybody”. Farage later issued a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been reported aged 13, so long ago.”