Reform UK’s newest MP, Sarah Pochin, faced an uncomfortable grilling on BBC Newsnight as she struggled to explain her party’s flagship immigration policy.
Despite leader Nigel Farage’s frequent use of the “stop the boats” slogan, Pochin was unable to clearly articulate how Reform would achieve this goal during her appearance with Victoria Derbyshire.
🚤 ‘Turn the boats around’ – but how?
Derbyshire opened with a direct question:
“Nigel Farage says he will stop the small boats. How would Reform stop the small boats?”
Pochin replied:
“Any immigrants that come to this country will be detained and deported back to where they come from.”
Pressed again for details on prevention, not punishment, Pochin insisted:
“We are paying money to France, for what? The boats are still coming through.”
🛑 No deal with France, no clear answers
Derbyshire pointed out that there is no current returns agreement with France post-Brexit.
“So the Border Force would do what?” she asked.
Pochin claimed the problem was “a lack of political will” and insisted Reform would instruct Border Force to turn the boats around.
Derbyshire noted:
“There is no bilateral agreement with France for this. There is nothing in it for them – plus there is international maritime law.”
🏨 Tents not hotels?
The discussion moved on to where migrants should be housed. Pochin echoed her Reform colleague Andrea Jenkyns by supporting the removal of migrants from hotels.
When repeatedly asked where they would be moved to, she simply said:
“Back to where they came from.”
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