Reform UK MP Left Squirming Over Party's 'Racist' By-Election Advert

Sarah Pochin with Nigel Farage outside parliament.Reform UK’s new MP was left squirming after being quizzed about one of the party’s election ads which has been branded “blatantly racist”.Sarah Pochin insisted she had not seen the social media post about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.The online advert compiles footage of several speeches by Sarwar, who was born in Glasgow to Pakistani Muslim parents, talking about improving political representation for South Asian communities.Reform claimed it showed he “prioritise the Pakistani community”, even though Sarwar at no point uses that word.The ad was posted in the run-up to next week’s Scottish Parliament by-election in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency.A spokesperson for the Scottish Labour leader said it was a “blatantly racist advert from Reform UK that attempts to question the identity, loyalty and belonging of Anas Sarwar”.On Times Radio this morning, Pochin said: “There is nothing racist about Reform UK. I would not be associated with a party that was the least bit racist.”Presenter Rosie Wright told her: “This advert posted by Reform UK claimed that the Scottish Labour leader had promised to prioritise the Pakistani community.“Well, he doesn’t say that. Instead he said actually there needed to be more Pakistani representation. What went wrong here in the creation of that video?”After initially trying to dodge the question, Pochin, who won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election on May 1, said: “Let me be quite clear for your listeners and viewers; I haven’t seen that video. I cannot comment on that video because I haven’t seen it.“I’m making it quite clear though that I am all about supporting British values. Anybody that is here as a British citizen, legally, then that is fine by me.“I can’t comment on this particular video. It’s in Scotland, I haven’t been up there, I haven’t been part of this campaign, so I’ve got nothing to say on that particular incident.”“I would not be associated with a party that was in the least bit racist.”Reform MP Sarah Pochin defends the party from accusations of racism over an election advert about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.@SarahForRuncorn | @RosieWright99pic.twitter.com/DKp1f8AEkn— Times Radio (@TimesRadio) May 27, 2025A Reform UK Scotland spokesman told HuffPost UK: “Reform UK has advertised Anas Sarwar’s own words, if he doesn’t like them, he shouldn’t use them.“We know Scottish Labour is ashamed of Keir Starmer’s rhetoric, but it appears now they’re also trying to hide from Anas Sarwar’s record – we’ll be happy in helping them by highlighting his record at every turn.”Meta’s advert library reveals the post has been on Facebook and Instagram since May 12 and has been viewed around half a million times.Related...Nigel Farage Dubbed 'Snake Oil Salesman' Over Reform UK's New Welfare PromisesReform UK Accused Of 'Blatant Racism' Against Scottish Labour Leader In By-Election AdLabour Attack 'Privately-Educated Stockbroker' Nigel Farage As War Of Words Erupts

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