There’s trouble in paradise, it seems. Perhaps the most eye-catching moment at yesterday’s PMQs came when Sarah Pochin, Reform’s newest MP, stood up to grill Keir Starmer for the first time. The moment was heavily trailed by deputy leader Richard Tice, who promised it would be ‘interesting’ in a video on X. Pochin duly rose and asked Keir Starmer the following:
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?
So, who exactly is speaking for the party on this?
Lee Anderson, sat beside her, was heard muttering: ‘Here, here!’ He later posted on X: ‘Ban the burqa? Yes we should. No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public.’ Given Anderson’s role as the party’s chief whip, you’d think that the Reform disciplinarian would be speaking the party line.
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