All eight Reform UK MPs have been placed under 24-hour security protection, party member Sarah Pochin has confirmed, in the wake of the murder of former justice spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe.
The Runcorn and Helsby MP said the heightened security measures were introduced after Widdecombe was killed at her home in July. Pochin, who entered Parliament in 2025 after winning a by-election, also opened up about the personal cost of the threat, revealing that her own children had begged her to leave politics because they fear for her safety.
A Personal Toll
Pochin told GB News that her two sons, aged 25 and 27, are deeply troubled by the dangers she faces. “I am so grateful they are looking after us, but the impact on your family life is severe,” she said. “I have two boys, 25 and 27, and of course, although they’ve got their own lives now, when I go and see them, security comes and it upsets them so much.”
Her children, she said, have made an emotional plea for her to step away from public life entirely. “They’re like, mum, ‘Please stop what you’re doing. Please stop, [because] it can never be worth risking your life’.”
Even simple outings have become fraught with difficulty. Pochin said she recently took a holiday to North Wales with her husband, only to be accompanied by two security guards even while walking their dogs along a coastal path. Her partner, she added, was “nervously holding my hand”.
“I’m so grateful for the security, but it is very, very intrusive. I can’t go clothes shopping anymore. I can’t go make-up shopping. I can’t. I can’t really even go to Sainsbury’s, such is the risk to us now,” she said. “But I will never be silenced.”
Security Concerns Across the Party
The tightening of protection for Reform’s parliamentary contingent follows complaints from leader Nigel Farage earlier this year that his own security arrangements had been reduced. Farage subsequently held a meeting with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, the body tasked with overseeing the protection of high-profile public figures.
It is understood that the decision to provide all eight Reform MPs with continuous personal protection was made in response to the escalating threat landscape following Widdecombe’s death. The former Conservative minister had been serving as Reform’s immigration and justice spokeswoman at the time she was killed.
Pochin, who was the party’s first female MP, has since been joined in the House of Commons by Suella Braverman, the former Tory minister who defected to Reform in January.
Women in Politics: Confronting a Culture of Chauvinism
Beyond the security question, Pochin also spoke frankly about the culture she has encountered within Parliament. She described Westminster as the most chauvinistic workplace she has ever experienced.
“I have never, ever come across chauvinism like I have in Westminster. It has taken me by such surprise. I have had men drop doors in my face.”
Pochin, who has previously worked for Shell, served as a justice of the peace, and held roles as a Conservative councillor and mayor of Cheshire East before entering national politics, argued that strong female representation is the answer to such hostility.
“But the only way we can overcome that is to have strong female voices,” she said. “And I would say to women, join me. Join me, Suella, and all the women in Parliament. Because the only way we will stop this is to be strong and be a presence there.”
Why it Matters
The assassination of Ann Widdecombe and the subsequent decision to place all Reform MPs under continuous protection represent a chilling moment for British democracy, raising urgent questions about the safety of elected officials and the boundaries of political discourse. The personal testimonies of MPs like Sarah Pochin lay bare the extraordinary toll that public service can exact — not just on the individuals who hold office, but on their families and communities. As the political climate grows more polarised, the responsibility to protect those who serve in Parliament, regardless of party affiliation, becomes not merely a matter of policing but of fundamental democratic principle. If elected representatives cannot operate without fear for their lives, the health of public debate itself is under threat.
