🔗 Share this article

The United Kingdom's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has called on the Reform UK leader to issue an apology to former schoolmates who claim he racially abused them during their time at school.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their descriptions of his past behaviour. He added that the leader's "shifting" statements had been difficult to believe.

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

New Allegations Surface

A recent investigation last month outlined the statements of over a dozen former classmates of Farage from a south London school.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "came up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to imitate the sound of the gas showers”.

Another student of colour alleged that when he was about nine, he was similarly targeted by a 17-year-old Farage.

“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That included me on three occasions; inquiring where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said you were from.”

Since then, others have stepped forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either victims of or saw hurtful conduct by Farage.

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

Denials and Shifting Positions

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

Commentators have noted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his statements.

They also cite his failure to reprimand a fellow Reform MP, Sarah Pochin, after she expressed views about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the statements.

“His shifting account about his behaviour to his peers [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He continued: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all misremembered the same things about his offensive behaviour simply is not believable."

Question of Character

“If he aspires to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he urgently needs address the fears of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer stated.

“Prejudice in all its forms is abhorrent to the standards of this country and we must not permit it to ever become legitimised in politics.”

In a other comments, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a real leader.

“It says a lot how very 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 avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Legal Letters and Later Statements

In legal letters prior to the release of the investigation, Farage’s representatives stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever engaged in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.

Farage later altered his position in an interview, saying: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some way? Yes.”

He said that he had “never directly attempted to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later put out a fresh denial: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been published as a 13-year-old, nearly 50 years ago.”