All Reform UK MPs under 24-hour security after Ann Widdecombe murder

Reform MP Sarah Pochin reveals all eight Reform MPs now have round-the-clock security. Her sons have pleaded with her to leave politics over fears for her life.

Reform MPs' security upgraded following Ann Widdecombe's killing

All eight Reform UK MPs have been placed under 24-hour security, Sarah Pochin has announced, according to The Independent. The Runcorn and Helsby MP said protection was stepped up following the death of Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative minister who was serving as Reform's immigration and justice spokeswoman when she was killed at her home in July.

Pochin told GB News that the security arrangements, while welcome, have placed significant strain on her family life. Her two adult sons, aged 25 and 27, have urged her to walk away from politics entirely.

"I am so grateful they are looking after us, but the impact on your family life is severe," she said. "They're like, mum, 'Please stop what you're doing. Please stop, [because] it can never be worth risking your life'."

She described a recent holiday to North Wales with her husband during which two security guards accompanied the couple as they walked their dogs along a coastal path, her partner "nervously holding my hand" throughout.

"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 really even go to Sainsbury's, such is the risk to us now," Pochin said. "But I will never be silenced."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had previously complained that his own security arrangements had been reduced, and subsequently met with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, the body responsible for protecting high-profile public figures.

Pochin entered Parliament in 2025 after winning a by-election, becoming Reform UK's first female MP. She has since been joined by Suella Braverman, the former Conservative minister who defected to Reform in January. Before her political career, Pochin worked for Shell and served as a justice of the peace, as well as holding positions as a Conservative councillor and mayor of Cheshire East.

She also used the interview to criticise what she described as entrenched chauvinism at Westminster, saying it was the most male-dominated environment she had encountered in her professional life.

"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," she said.

Pochin called on more women to enter politics, citing her own presence alongside Braverman as evidence that female voices were gaining ground. "The only way we will stop this is to be strong and be a presence there," she said.

Source: The Independent