Reform UK’s Runcorn & Helsby by-election candidate posed at a Syrian and Afghan “Refugees Welcome” event, GB News can reveal.
Sarah Pochin, who was announced as Reform’s challenger by party leader Nigel Farage on Monday, had said on social media that it was a “pleasure to attend the Refugees Welcome event in Macclesfield” in May 2022 “with Syrian and Afghan families that have settled in Cheshire East”.
Pochin was pictured alongside the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Lady Redmond, and her husband Sir Phil Redmond, who “presented certificates to families of Syrian refugees”.
A Reform UK spokesman told GB News that she had been “fulfilling civic duties” in her role as Mayor of Cheshire East – and now “fully supports net zero immigration”.
Pochin said it was a ‘pleasure to attend the Refugees Welcome event in Macclesfield’
Sarah Pochin (centre-right) pictured at the Refugees Welcome event in Macclesfield
The spokesman said: “As Mayor of Cheshire East, Sarah is proud of her record in supporting the Homes for Ukraine Scheme to help genuine refugees flee the war in Ukraine.
“Sarah fulfilled a number of civic duties whilst carrying out her role as Mayor of Cheshire East.
“Sarah is committed to deporting anyone that enters the country illegally and fully supports net zero immigration.”
“Net zero immigration” refers to the “one in, one out” approach to Britain’s borders proposed to MPs by Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice.
Pochin will be running against Labour’s Karen Shore in the by-election – which is expected to fall on May 1.
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Nigel Farage unveiled Sarah Pochin as Reform’s candidate on Monday afternoon
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And it emerged just days ago that Shore was “warmly welcoming” to asylum seekers – despite pledging to close a migrant hotel in the constituency if elected.
Following that news, a spokesman for Reform UK said: “A record 26,000 illegal migrants have crossed the English Channel since Labour came to power in July 2025.
“Karen Shore proudly declared that she was ‘warmly welcoming’ asylum seekers, yet now she is trying to deceive the voters of Runcorn and Helsby.
“[She] has a history of boasting about providing fully decorated and furnished accommodation for asylum seekers. Karen and Labour cannot be trusted.
LABOUR PARTY
“Deport and close the hotels – that’s our plan, Labour doesn’t have one as evidenced by the independent borders watchdog today.”
At the time, Labour had defended Shore’s “track record of campaigning and delivering for local people, which will continue if she is elected”.
Pochin’s now-deleted social media post read: “Pleasure to attend the Refugees Welcome event in Macclesfield this afternoon with Syrian and Afghan families that have settled in Cheshire East with the Lord Lieutenant Lady Redmond and Sir Phil Redmond.”
Cheshire Lieutenancy also confirmed that “the Lord-Lieutenant has attended a reception in Macclesfield organised by Refugees Welcome, Cheshire East and presented certificates to families of Syrian refugees”.
