Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has come under fire after making a World War Two reference aimed at France during an argument over Channel migration policy. The backlash followed Paris rejecting Reform's proposal to use the Royal Navy to return migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.
Pochin, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, made the remark as debate intensified over how Britain should respond to continued crossings. Her intervention quickly drew criticism, with opponents describing the comment as inflammatory and unhelpful at a time when UK-France cooperation remains central to border enforcement.
The dispute is tied to Reform's hard-line approach to small boats crossings, including the idea of sending people back across the Channel with naval support. French resistance to that proposal has highlighted the legal, diplomatic and operational obstacles involved in any plan that would require direct action in shared waters and cooperation from Paris.
The episode has added a fresh political row to an already sensitive issue, combining arguments about migration control with tensions in the UK's relationship with France. It also puts renewed attention on how parties are framing the small boats debate as pressure grows for tougher and workable solutions.
