Nigel Farage has a 'woman problem', says Tory frontbencher Victoria Atkins: 'Women can see and smell sexism'

BREAKING Urgent manhunt underway as man shot near Royal Artillery Barracks in London 1792758339.092 Nigel Farage has a 'woman problem', says Tory frontbencher Victoria Atkins: 'Women can see and smell sexism' Reform UK accused Victoria Atkins of making 'wild accusations' Sign up to the Politics Newsletter Email address Sign up I agree to receive updates and information about my account, the GB News Community, and related products and services from GB News. By signing up you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Community Rules. Thank you for signing up! See the latest from GB News here . Choose GB News on Google - add us as a preferred source Choose GB News Support GB News Champion free speech and independent journalism while unlocking exclusive benefits. Support us Women can "see and smell sexism within Reform UK a mile off", one of the most senior female Conservative frontbenchers has claimed. Victoria Atkins MP, the Shadow Environment Secretary, said that she was aware of "senior professional women" who were called "groupies" and other "sexualised banter" after going to the party's conference last year. Mrs Atkins was speaking after Sarah Pochin, one of the most senior female Reform MPs, was filmed telling an ITV undercover reporter that the party needed "women press officers". She was recorded by a secret camera saying the party was "chauvinistic" and "they just exclude you if you are a woman". TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Ms Pochin added: "There's a bit of a male issue going on." Speaking to GB News' Chopper's Political Podcast, Ms Atkins said: "Any woman can see and smell the sexism within Reform UK a mile off. "We know that senior women within the party are sidelined. We saw these comments." She added: "I've had senior professional women unrelated to the party who went to Reform conference last year, who said to me in completely separate conversations that they have various experiences of Reform men calling them groupies or the banter, the sort of sexualised banter." Nigel Farage with Reform UK's Sarah Pochin | REUTERS Asked what she was referring to, Ms Atkins said: "I mean very sort of sexualised banter about women whilst those women are in a professional meeting with them because they had to go there with their jobs. "This is not how a modern political party should be operating, but I think people can spot it a mile off. "If you remember the Makerfield by-election, I think one of the strongest campaigns that Andy Burnham had in that by-election campaign was the attitudes as revealed of the Reform candidate and the reaction of women to those attitudes. "I'm afraid they've got a real problem with this. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS MPs to debate plight of Piddington women as Labour set to dump 1,250 migrants next door 'I step in to tell people to turn down their phones music,' Kemi Badenoch tells GB News Johnny Mercer brands Remembrance commemorations 'incredibly hollow' over treatment of veterans Victoria Atkins accuses Reform UK of having a 'woman problem' | GB NEWS "And it doesn't matter how often they pat women on the head and say, oh no, nothing to see here. "We can see it, we can feel it. And I think it's going to be a real problem for them." Asked directly if Mr Farage "has a woman problem", Ms Atkins replied: "Yes." Ms Pochin joined Reform UK from the Tories in March 2025. Reform MP Sarah Pochin appeared to call her own party 'so f***ing chauvinistic' | PA She was elected as the MP for Runcorn & Helsby in May 2025 following a knife-edge by-election victory. Ms Pochin defeated Labour challenger Karen Shore by just six votes after disgraced ex-MP Mike Amesbury resigned when he was given a suspended sentence for punching a constituent. “One of the main reasons Sarah left the Tories in the first place was the rampant sexism that existed from local to national level," a Reform UK spokesman told GB News. "For Victoria Atkins to make these wild accusations about Reform when she knows the institutional issues in her own party is completely disingenuous. Nigel Farage's party has been the target of another undervocer sting, this time from ITV | REUTERS “Reform has come a long way as a party. "We’ve grown enormously in a short space of time and have been addressing issues as they arise. "With the launch of Women for Reform and women in top leadership positions across the party, we have shown our commitment to empowering them at all levels.” Watch Chopper's Political Podcast every Friday from 6am on GB News. 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