Reform UK has revealed Sarah Pochin as its candidate for the Runcorn and Helsby by-election. The announcement comes after former Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned, having received a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a man in the street. This marks Sir Keir Starmer's first by-election since taking office in July 2024. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon, everybody. This is the first by-election of
00:13this Parliament, so there's going to be a lot of focus, a lot of attention here over
00:18the course of the next few weeks. We will, of course, fight this campaign on our basic
00:22principles of family, community and country. We've selected a candidate who's going to
00:29be a lawmaker, and I promise, not a lawbreaker. Which, in the context of the circumstances
00:40that have led to this by-election, is really rather important. I'm so honoured to be standing
00:46here today as the candidate for reform to fight this constituency of Runcorn and Hellsby.
00:53I'm here because of one man. You're all here because of one remarkable man. I first met
00:59Nigel Farage ten years ago. He'd just done a speech in Northwich to about 500 activists.
01:06He inspired me that night, and he's inspired me ever since. I've been in politics for about
01:11ten years, but only now do I feel that I'm in the right place, with the right people,
01:18standing up for the British people, and standing up for common sense. Because, let's face it,
01:23the Labour Party and the Conservative Party seem to have forgotten what common sense is
01:27all about. I'm so proud to be here, and part of this amazing reform team. But more than
01:36anything, I want the people of Runcorn and Hellsby to be proud of their MP, not embarrassed
01:42by their MP. Together, all of you, me, Nigel and this amazing team, we're going to win
01:51this seat on May 1st.
01:59I declare this by-election campaign open!