Lib Dem MP calls for Sarah Pochin's suspension over 'racist' comments about 'black and Asian people in adverts'
Josh Babarinde said Reform ought to "act pretty quickly and suspend the whip" from Sarah Pochin
A Liberal Democrat MP has told LBC that Reform MP Sarah Pochin should "lose the whip" after making "racist" comments about black and Asian minorities in adverts.
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The Reform MP was forced to apologise after saying “it drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people," earlier this week.
The comments prompted a hefty backlash from both the public and fellow MPs, with Wes Streeting telling LBC on Sunday that Ms Pochin's comments were "a disgrace".
Josh Babarinde, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, told Vanessa Feltz: "I think comments like those that Sarah Pochin made fall well below the standards that anyone in public life should be meeting.
"But also it's a matter for her own party, and if Nigel Farage and Reform think that racism is wrong and should be addressed, then they ought to act pretty quickly and suspend the whip from Sarah Pochin.
"If they don't and they continue to remain silent then I think that tells you everything about Nigel Farage and the kind of man he is," he added.
Following the backlash, Ms Pochin, MP for Runcorn and Helsby, said her comments were "phrased poorly" and apologised for any offence caused.
Speaking on the subject, Health Secretary Wes Streeting hit out at Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage for not rebuking her.
But Mr Streeting said: "She's only sorry that she's been caught and called out, and she said the quiet bit loud."
He added: "What we have seen on our streets in recent weeks and months is a return of 1970s, 1980s-style racism that I thought we had left in the history books."