Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has been embroiled in a fierce controversy in the United Kingdom following her comments about ethnic representation in television advertisements.
During an interview on TalkTV, Pochin said she “goes crazy when you see adverts full of black and Asian people”, arguing that they no longer reflect the average British family. Her statement was condemned by a number of British politicians.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the comments “shocking racism”, while other figures from the Labour Party also demanded a clear response from the leaders of Reform UK.
Party leader Nigel Farage admitted that Pochin’s comments were “wrong and ugly” but said he did not believe they were racist in nature. He said the MP was trying to criticise the way the advertising industry handles diversity policies.
Pochin later apologized for the statement, insisting that her comments were poorly worded and that they were not intended to offend ethnic communities.