Attorney General Calls On Reform UK Leader to Say Sorry Over Claimed Antisemitic and Racist Behaviour.
The UK's attorney general, Richard Hermer, has demanded the Reform UK leader to apologise to school contemporaries who claim he targeted with racist abuse them during their years in education.
Hermer said that Farage had "obviously deeply hurt" many people, according to their descriptions of his actions as a youth. He added that the leader's "evolving" denials had been less than credible.
“Throughout his answers to valid inquiries, not once has Farage truly condemned antisemitism,” Hermer informed a news outlet.
New Allegations Come to Light
A recent investigation last month detailed the testimony of several former classmates of Farage from Dulwich College.
One, a former pupil, said that a teenage Farage "came up to me and growl: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the gas showers”.
Another student of colour claimed that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.
“He came over to a pupil accompanied by two equally tall mates and spoke to anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That happened to me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and gesturing, saying: ‘That’s the way back,’ to any place you said you were from.”
After the story broke, others have come forward; about 20 people have now alleged they were either subject to or observed deeply offensive conduct by Farage.
The behaviour they recounted cover the period when Farage was aged a teenager.
Changing Stories
The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "blatantly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the individuals were being untruthful.
Observers have highlighted that Farage has not managed to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism outright in his responses.
They also cite his inability to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of black and brown people she saw in television commercials. She later expressed regret for the statements.
“Nigel Farage’s constantly changing story about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] hard to believe, to say the least,” Hermer commented.
He went on to say: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."
Question of Character
“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for prime minister, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and apologise to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.
“Racism in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in society.”
In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to look like a real leader.
“It speaks volumes how very little he has to say, and the precisely drafted words that both you and I would recognise as being written in a particular way to communicate, but also dodge the issue,” she noted.
Legal Letters and Later Statements
In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the report, Farage’s representatives asserted that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led this behaviour is completely refuted”.
Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, stating: “Did I say things 50 years ago that you could see as being teenage humour, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in some sort of way? Yes.”
He added that he had “never directly sought to go and hurt anybody”. Farage later issued a further comment: “I can tell you categorically that I did not say the things that have been printed as a 13-year-old, decades in the past.”