Nigel Farage expressed dissatisfaction with Sarah Pochin’s recent remarks, stating that he was not pleased with her comments but stopped short of labeling them as racist. Pochin, the Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby, faced backlash and subsequently issued an apology for her statement, which sparked controversy. Despite mounting pressure to dismiss her, Farage refrained from categorizing the remarks as racist during the incident.
During the event, Farage was accompanied by Ellie Reynolds, a survivor of grooming gangs, who had resigned from the survivors panel and criticized the investigation as “corrupt.” Farage proposed a parliamentary inquiry into the scandal, highlighting the public’s diminishing patience with the issue.
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley urged Reform UK to remove Sarah Pochin’s party whip, condemning her comments as racist. Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, also denounced Pochin’s statements as “shocking racism.” Meanwhile, Farage emphasized the need for a parliamentary investigation into grooming gangs to bring about justice for victims.
As discussions unfolded, Farage outlined plans to engage with Parliament, proposing an inquiry involving both the House of Lords and the House of Commons to address the grooming gangs issue. Criticizing the current handling of the scandal, Farage emphasized the importance of restoring public trust through parliamentary action.
Ellie Reynolds, a vocal critic of the grooming gangs inquiry, expressed dissatisfaction with the panel’s approach, highlighting the neglect of survivor voices and the failure to address the ethnic profile of perpetrators. The Liberal Democrats initiated a censure motion in Parliament to rebuke Pochin’s remarks and called for her whip to be withdrawn by Farage.
In light of the ongoing controversy, Farage is set to provide a solution to the challenges facing the grooming gangs inquiry in an upcoming press conference, aiming to address the issues that have plagued the investigation. The probe has faced setbacks, with survivors quitting the panel and calls for ministerial resignations, underscoring the urgency of resolving the inquiry’s shortcomings.