A survivor of Britain’s grooming gangs scandal left journalists stunned at a Reform UK press conference this afternoon as they demanded comments from Nigel Farage about Sarah Pochin. While the press conference was a major intervention by Mr Farage on the grooming gangs scandal, he faced repeated questions from broadcasters about Ms Pochin’s words at the weekend regarding diversity in British advertising.
Ms Pochin claimed it “drives me mad seeing adverts full of black and Asian people” during a live television phone-in. Responding to TalkTV caller Stuart, she said: “It is something that has happened because, I believe, of the woke Liberal that goes on inside.”
Mr Farage issued his first comments on the row today, saying he is “unhappy” with the Runcorn MP and that her words were “very, very unpleasant”. The Reform chief fumed: “The words Sarah Pochin used… were ugly, and taken on their own could be read to be very very unpleasant indeed. I am unhappy with what she has done – don’t underestimate that – and she fully knows how I feel.
“However it was in the broader context of DEI madness in the advertising industry, something which anybody with half a brain can recognise has been going on since about 2021. So I understand the basic point, but the way she put it, the way she worded it, was wrong and ugly.
“If I thought the intention behind it was racist, I would have taken a lot more action than I have to date.”
Despite attempting to put a line in the sand over the race row, journalists continued pressing Mr Farage for further details and answers.
In a surprising move, grooming gang survivor Ellie Reynolds – who issued damning comments about the government’s inquiry at Reform’s press conference – asked Mr Farage if she could also respond to the repeated questions about Sarah Pochin.
Appearing surprised, Mr Farage handed the floor to Ms Reynolds, who launched into a blistering tirade.
She blasted: “I find it quite overwhelming that every single one of these journalists has said something about a comment that was made by Sarah [Pochin], which is understandable, absolutely fine.
“Yet it’s taken the media decades to recognise that grooming gangs are coming over and raping our children because they’re white – that is also racially motivated and it is racist.”
Mr Farage appeared stunned by the full-throated attack, quietly adding: “100%. Gosh, that’s very strong. Very strong.”
A Reform source added after the conference that Ms Reynolds had been “amazing”.
Speaking from the podium Ms Reynolds, who quit the government’s grooming gang inquiry last week in response to attempts by the Home Office to widen its scope, revealed that she and other survivors had been “gaslit” and “manipulated”.
She told the room that the probe was a “mess from the start”, accusing the government of running a “very controlling atmosphere, it was very gaslighting, very manipulative”.
“The way we were spoken to was very degrading, very controlling. We weren’t allowed to seek support from family members or other survivors on the panel.”
Ms Pochin said yesterday that her comments on Talk TV were “phrased poorly and I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused, which was not my intention”.
