Reform MP Sarah Pochin has been branded a “disgrace” after saying it “drives her mad” to see television adverts featuring Black and Asian people.
The comments, made during an appearance on TalkTV, suggested that modern TV advertising no longer represents the “average white person,” which she described as a result of the “woke liberati inside the arty farty world.”
Pochin, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, told a caller that while diverse adverts “might be fine inside the M25,” they were not reflective of northern towns.
She added:
“It drives me mad when I see adverts full of Black people, full of Asian people, full of people that basically are anything other than white.”
Following the backlash, Pochin issued an apology, saying her remarks were “poorly phrased” and that she had intended to critique the advertising industry for becoming “DEI mad.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting strongly condemned the remarks, calling them a “disgrace” and criticising the “deafening silence” from Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Streeting argued that Reform was promoting an exclusionary vision of Britain, saying:
“Reform is a party who think that our flag only belongs to some of us who look like me, not all of us who have built this country, built its success.”
He added that her comments reflected a worrying resurgence of outdated racial attitudes:
“These remarks come after several months that have seen a return of 1970s and 1980s style racism that I thought we had left in the history books.”
Streeting urged the public to confront such views, stating:
“The only way we are going to defeat this racism is to call it out and confront it for what it is, and for the decent majority of this country to stand against it, as we have always done.”
In her statement on X, Pochin clarified her position, apologising for causing offence and stressing that she was critiquing industry trends, not individuals:
“My comments were phrased poorly and I apologise for any offence caused, which was not my intention. The point I was trying to make is that the British advertising agency world has gone DEI mad and many adverts are now unrepresentative of British society as a whole.”
Pochin promised to exercise more care with her language in the future, adding:
“I will endeavour to ensure my language is more accurate going forward.”
This is not the first time the MP has courted controversy. Shortly after winning her seat in a by-election from Labour, she called on Sir Keir Starmer to ban the burka “in the interests of public safety” during Prime Minister’s Questions.
The same week, Reform’s chairman Zia Yusuf resigned from his post, only to return to the party days later, highlighting internal instability.
Conservative MP Chris Philp avoided direct criticism of Pochin but said her choice of words was “not language I would have used.”
Shadow Home Secretary refrained from labelling the comments as racist, instead suggesting there are “legitimate concerns” about mass migration.
Yusuf, however, defended Pochin’s apology while emphasising the importance of discussing representation in media:
“I know Sarah very well, I was instrumental in her selection as a candidate, worked very hard to get her elected, and I’m extremely glad that I did. She did say those words and she has apologised, saying it was a poorly phrased thing to say, but you’ve got to put that into context.”
The controversy has intensified scrutiny on Reform Party messaging, raising questions about its approach to cultural and racial issues.
Analysts suggest that remarks like Pochin’s risk alienating moderate voters, potentially complicating the party’s efforts to broaden its appeal ahead of the next general election.
The incident has also sparked a wider debate about representation in advertising, with critics arguing that Pochin’s comments echo outdated and exclusionary attitudes, while supporters contend that discussion about media representation should be allowed.
As the fallout continues, Pochin has vowed to be more precise in her public statements, but the row underscores ongoing tensions over diversity, free speech, and political rhetoric within the UK’s political landscape.
Editing by M10News Politics Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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