🔗 Share this article

The UK's attorney general, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.

Hermer said that Farage had "undoubtedly deeply hurt" many people, according to their accounts of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "constantly changing" explanations had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his replies to legitimate questions, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a news outlet.

Further Testimonies Come to Light

A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of over a dozen one-time schoolmates of Farage from a private college.

One, Peter Ettedgui, recalled that a teenage 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 minority ethnic pupil claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil flanked by two equally tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the individual said. “That involved me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have stepped forward; around two dozen people have now stated they were either targets of or saw highly inappropriate actions by Farage.

The incidents they outlined cover 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 claimed the individuals were not telling the truth.

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

They also reference his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

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

He added: “Claiming that 20 people have all misremembered the same things about his nasty behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a serious contender for the top job, he must acknowledge the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the many people he has obviously deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

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

In a separate interview, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a genuine leader.

“It is very telling how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would recognise as being crafted in a particular way to say something, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In formal correspondence prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives claimed that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led such conduct is categorically denied”.

Farage later appeared to change his position in an appearance, saying: “Did I say things as a youth that you could interpret as being banter, you could interpret in a today's standards today in some sort of way? Yes.”

He said that he had “not ever purposely attempted to go and upset anybody”. Farage subsequently issued 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.”