‘Reform MP lies to stir racial tensions? Surely not…’
Reform MP Sarah Pochin has angered her constituents after claiming that ‘illegal immigrants’ were responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence in Runcorn.
In a video she posted on social media, Pochin made claims about houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) housing immigrants causing violence, anti-social behaviour, rubbish “strewn around the streets” and “potential domestic abuse”.
However, local residents have said her claims are “not true”. Cheshire police have also confirmed there is no evidence to support her allegations.
BBC North West Tonight visited Greenway Road, the area that the Runcorn and Helsby MP referred to, last night.
The report said there is one property on the road housing asylum seekers, and that there have been no reports of anti-social behaviour at the address.
Residents also told the BBC that there is no issue with crime in the area.
One man said: “When you hear somebody saying things like oh you know ‘people are scared to go out, there’s violence, the litter, the anti-social behaviour’, there’s absolutely none of that that I’ve seen living on this road.”
After Pochin posted the video, police visited homes on Greenway Road. Residents told officers there are “no problems with illegal immigrants”.
In a statement, Cheshire Police said: “The issues referenced in the video do not correlate with the incidents that have been reported to Cheshire police.”
Pochin’s office has said they’re gathering witness statements from residents and businesses, and claim her legal team believe there is a basis for legal action.
Rob Littler, warden of St Michael and All Angels church, wrote an open letter to the Reform MP about her claims. He said: “All I wanted was to have a debate with her, to say, you know come on, tell us why you’re using this area politically when this isn’t about politics, it’s about truth.”
Social media users reacted to the BBC’s report, saying they weren’t surprised Pochin’s claims turned out to be false.
One X user wrote: “Surprise, surprise it turns out Sarah Pochin(Reform MP) was lying about a street in her Runcorn constituency.”
Another said: “Reform MP lies to stir racial tensions? Surely not…”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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