Sarah Pochin has a history of switching political allegiances
Earlier in the week, Reform UK announced former Cheshire East councillor Sarah Pochin as their candidate in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which is expected to take place on 1 May.
Pochin has switched her political allegiances more than once, having been expelled from the Conservative and Independent groups during her time as a councillor, before joining Reform UK last year.
Pochin was a borough councillor on Cheshire East Council between 2015 and 2023. In 2020, she was expelled from the Conservative Party Group over a spat over the selection of the area’s ceremonial mayor.
The Conservatives backed Steven Edgar for the mayoral position, but after he lost the vote, the Labour-Independent Group administration then offered the role to Pochin. Pochin accepted the position, which resulted in her being expelled from the Conservative group for breaching the rules. She then became an Independent councillor.
Just two years later, she was booted out of the Independent Group for rejoining the Tory Party to vote in the 2022 leadership election after Boris Johnson resigned as prime minister.
In an email to the Independent Group, Pochin said: “I took up membership of the Tory Party once again in order to be able to vote in the leadership election – a forgivable offence, I would argue, as there weren’t enough sensible folk allowed to vote in that crucial election as it was.”
After breaking the Independent Group’s rules, which prevent councillors from being a member of a national political party, she said she would have quit the Conservative Party a second time if asked.
“I could have offered to resign my membership of the Tory Party as I had achieved my aim of voting in the Tory Party leadership contest, but I was not given that opportunity,” she said.
The Runcorn and Helsby by-election was called after former Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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