Jump to content

Sarah Pochin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sarah Pochin
MP
Official portrait, 2025
Member of Parliament
for Runcorn and Helsby
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 May 2025
Preceded byMike Amesbury
Majority6 (0.02%)
Mayor of Cheshire East
In office
25 November 2021 – 19 May 2022
Preceded byBarry Burkhill
Succeeded byDavid Marren
Member of Cheshire East Council
In office
2 May 2019 – 4 May 2023
WardBunbury
Preceded byChris Green
Succeeded byRebecca Posnett
In office
7 May 2015 – 2 May 2019
WardWillaston & Rope
Preceded byBrian Silvester
Succeeded byAllen Gage
Personal details
Born
Sarah Joanne Hyde

1969 or 1970 (age 55–56)
Political partyReform UK (since 2025)
Other political
affiliations		Conservative (until 2020; 2022)
Independent (2020–2022; 2022–2025)
SpouseJonathan Pochin
Children2
EducationHaberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls
Alma materLoughborough University

Sarah Joanne Pochin[1][a] (née Hyde[3][failed verification] born June 1969) is a British Reform UK politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Runcorn and Helsby since May 2025.

Formerly a Conservative councillor who later sat as an independent member, she left the party and joined Reform UK. She currently holds the record for the smallest margin of victory in modern British by-election history, having overturned Labour's 14,700 majority from the 2024 general election by just six votes.

Early life and career

[edit]

Born in June 1969,[4] she was educated at Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls from 1980 to 1987,[5][3][failed verification] a boarding and day private school. She then read banking and finance at Loughborough University, graduating with a BSc in 1991.[5][3][failed verification]

Pochin has lived in Cheshire for over 30 years. She served as a Justice of the Peace, and worked for Shell plc and Novar plc, and later in the DIY sector.[6][7][8]

Pochin was reprimanded in 2018 by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) for misconduct during her tenure as a magistrate. The JCIO determined that Pochin used her judicial position to influence colleagues' views in a political context and breached confidentiality by publicising the complaint against her. The JCIO stated that her actions "fell below the standards expected of a magistrate". In 2025, Reform leader Nigel Farage said the allegations were politically motivated.[9]

Political career

[edit]

Conservative

[edit]

Pochin entered politics as a member of the Conservative Party, representing the Willaston and Rope ward after gaining the seat from scandal-ridden Brian Silvester of UKIP in the 2015 Cheshire East Council election.[10][11][12] In the 2019 Cheshire East Council election, Pochin stood for the Bunbury ward, where she was elected.[13] Pochin stood as the Conservative candidate in the Bolton South East constituency at the 2017 general election, where she was defeated by incumbent Labour MP, Yasmin Qureshi.

In March 2020, a rift occurred between Pochin and her Conservative colleagues on the council when she accepted the position of Mayor of Cheshire East, a role offered by the governing Labour-Independent administration, she took over the position following Mayor Barry Burkhill's role in the Handforth Town Council incident involving Jackie Weaver. This decision led to her suspension and subsequent expulsion from the Conservative Group on the council, as it was seen as a breach of party rules. Pochin served as Mayor of Cheshire East.[14] Following her expulsion, Pochin continued to serve as an independent member of the council. Originally slated to become mayor during the 2020/21 municipal year, she instead assumed the role in 2021/22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the postponement of the scheduled swearing-in ceremony.[15]

In 2022, Pochin rejoined the Conservative Party to participate in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election. This move led to her suspension from the Cheshire East Independent Group, as it violated the group's rules against holding membership in political parties.[16][17]

Reform

[edit]

Pochin was announced as the Reform UK candidate for the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which was triggered when Mike Amesbury resigned as MP following an assault conviction due to a physical altercation with a constituent.[18][19]

She defeated Karen Shore of the Labour Party, overturning the 14,700-vote majority Labour achieved at the general election less than 10 months earlier, by 6 votes, the narrowest parliamentary by-election majority in modern British history.[20][21] The win came amidst an increase in support for Reform UK in local elections held across the country the same day which were seen as a key test of the popularity of the Starmer government.[20][22] She is the first non-Labour MP elected in Runcorn in over fifty years.[23]

Pochin made her maiden speech on 12 May 2025, in a debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. She started by "saying how delighted I am that my colleagues have dragged themselves out of the pub to join me for my maiden speech" and went on to say that she was making her speech unusually early because "the Bill is important because it is so relevant to what I believe in. There are over 900 illegal immigrants—that we know about—living in Runcorn." She described her constituency as having "beautiful, leafy villages and housing estates battling drug crime and antisocial behaviour" and "lots of wonderful businesses in the constituency, ranging from the chemical industry and the farming industry right through to the science park".[24]

Pochin first spoke at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) on 4 June 2025, about banning the Burka, asking "Given the Prime Minister's desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours, will he, in the interests of public safety, follow the lead of France, Denmark, Belgium and others and ban the burqa?"[25] On 5 June 2025 Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf insinuated the question was "dumb", posting on X: "Nothing to do with me. Had no idea about the question nor that it wasn't policy. Busy with other stuff. I do think it's dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn't do."[26][27] Yusuf subsequently resigned as Reform UK chairman prompting media speculation that this was over Pochin's question.[28] However, Yusuf subsequently reversed his decision and stated that his resignation had been brought on by fatigue and clarified that if he were an MP he would "probably" vote in favour of banning the burqa. Pochin and other Reform MPs expressed their support for Yusuf's return.[29]

Electoral history

[edit]
2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform UK Sarah Pochin 12,645 38.72 +20.58
Labour Karen Shore 12,639 38.70 −14.23
Conservative Sean Houlston 2,341 7.17 −8.83
Green Chris Copeman 2,314 7.09 +0.66
Liberal Democrats Paul Duffy 942 2.88 −2.2
Liberal Dan Clarke 454 1.39 +0.26
Independent Michael Williams 363 1.11 N/A
Independent Alan McKie 269 0.82 N/A
Workers Party Peter Ford 164 0.50 N/A
Rejoin EU John Stevens 129 0.40 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 128 0.39 N/A
English Democrat Catherine Blaiklock 95 0.29 N/A
SDP Paul Andrew Murphy 68 0.21 −0.07
Volt Jason Philip Hughes 54 0.17 N/A
English Constitution Party Graham Harry Moore 50 0.15 N/A
Rejected ballots 85
Majority 6 0.02 N/A
Turnout 32,655 46.2 −12.5
Reform UK gain from Labour Swing +17.4
Council election 2019: Bunbury[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Sarah Joanne Pochin 750 54.47
Liberal Democrats Mark Peregrine Ireland-Jones 627 45.53
Turnout 37.51
Conservative hold
General election 2017: Bolton South East[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Yasmin Qureshi 25,676 60.7 +10.2
Conservative Sarah Pochin 12,550 29.7 +9.4
UKIP Jeff Armstrong 2,779 6.6 −17.0
Liberal Democrats Frank Harasiwka 781 1.8 −0.8
Green Alan Johnson 537 1.3 −1.6
Majority 13,126 31.0 +4.1
Turnout 42,323 61.4 +2.9
Labour hold Swing +0.5
Council election 2015: Bunbury[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Sarah Joanne Pochin 1,325 46.65
Labour Michael Minshall 648 22.82
UKIP Brian Silvester 621 21.87
Green John Bennett 246 8.66
Turnout 2,840 76.87
Conservative gain from UKIP

Personal life

[edit]

Pochin is married to businessman Jonathan Pochin and has two sons.[11][5]

In May 2025, she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, as the first female MP for the Reform UK party.[32]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Pronounced /'pəʊ.tʃɪn/.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Runcorn and Helsby by-election results 2025". Halton Borough Council Newsroom. Retrieved 2 May 2025. Sarah Joanne Pochin
  2. ^ Should There Be a Ban on Burkas in the Workplace?. Good Morning Britain. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ a b c Sarah (Hyde) Pochin on LinkedIn
  4. ^ Mitchell, Archie (2 May 2025). "Who is Sarah Pochin? Reform UK's first female MP". The Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2025. the 55-year-old new MP
  5. ^ a b c Kehoe, Cormac (22 April 2025). "Reform is coming for Labour in Runcorn". Prospect. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Reform UK announce candidate for Runcorn and Helsby by-election". ITV News. 24 March 2025.
  7. ^ Watterson, Kaleigh (24 March 2025). "Runcorn and Helsby: Reform's Sarah Pochin named as by-election candidate". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  8. ^ Walker, Peter (24 March 2025). "Reform UK choses local councillor and ex-magistrate Sarah Pochin as candidate for Runcorn and Helsby byelection". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  9. ^ Cooke, Millie (17 April 2025). "Reform candidate rebuked for using status as a magistrate to influence colleagues". The Independent. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  10. ^ Cullen, Ellie (23 October 2012). "Cheshire East councillor Brian Silvester slapped with huge fine over fire safety breaches". Crewe Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Cheshire East elections: Sarah Pochin wins Willaston and Rope seat". Nantwich News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Willaston and Rope Ward". Cheshire East Council. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Results for Bunbury". Cheshire East Council. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Bunbury Cllr Sarah Pochin expelled by Cheshire East Conservative Group". Nantwich News. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  15. ^ Kelly, James (25 November 2021). "Councillors elect new mayor of Cheshire East". Wilmslow and Alderley Edge Nub News. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  16. ^ Ryan, Belinda (14 October 2022). "Congleton: Councillor quits Cheshire East Independents after confessing Tory leadership vote". Congleton Nub News. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  17. ^ Ryan, Belinda (14 October 2022). "Councillor quits Independent Group after being suspended for re-joining Tories". Knutsford Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  18. ^ "Mike Amesbury: Ex-Labour MP to stand down over assault conviction". BBC News. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  19. ^ "'Big test' for PM as ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury steps down to trigger by-election". Sky News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  20. ^ a b Halliday, Josh (2 May 2025). "Reform wins Runcorn byelection by just six votes in blow to Labour". The Guardian.
  21. ^ a b "Reform win sets new record for smallest by-election majority since 1945". The National. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Starmer suffers defeat in first by-election as PM as Reform take Runcorn and Helsby". Sky News. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  23. ^ Halliday, Josh; Quinn, Ben (2 May 2025). "'They really are all horrible': political anger marks Reform UK's Runcorn win". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill". hansard.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  25. ^ "Engagements [Prime Minister's questions]". hansard.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  26. ^ "Reform UK chairman calls Farage's newest MP 'dumb' over burqa ban calls". The Independent. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  27. ^ "Reform MP's burka ban call was dumb, says party chair". www.bbc.com. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  28. ^ "Zia Yusuf returning to Reform UK two days after quitting". Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  29. ^ "Zia Yusuf: I'm returning to Reform UK, 48 hours after quitting". Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  30. ^ "Bolton South East: 2017 General Election". members.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  31. ^ "Bolton South East parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  32. ^ "Woman's Hour - Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Fifth anniversary of the death of George Floyd, Sarah Pochin MP". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC Sounds. 21 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025. Pochin interview begins at 44m18s
[edit]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Runcorn and Helsby
2025–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarah_Pochin&oldid=1300667993"