Reform UK has defended one of its MPs who has been accused of “racism” after she complained about the number of black and Asian people in TV adverts.

Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s head of policy, described Sarah Pochin as a “close friend” and “great MP”, and acknowledged she had made the “poorly phrased” comments and had apologised.

However, speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, he said her comments had to be “put into context”, adding people must be able to “talk about” representation in television advertising.

Mr Yusuf said he believed the Talk TV caller who Ms Pochin was in conversation with was “right to be upset about the massive under-representation of some groups in television advertising and significant overrepresentation of others – and we have to be able to talk about these things”.

He added: “I think is a very valid point. We must be able to talk about it.”

Ms Pochin, the Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby, is under fire after telling the viewer it “drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”.

She said such adverts did not “reflect our society” and added: “I feel that your average white person, average white family is… not represented any more.”

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Ms Pochin has since apologised for her comments, but Health Secretary Wes Streeting said her comments were “a disgrace” and hit out at Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage for not rebuking her.

The Liberal Democrats have demanded that she lose the party whip, which would force her to sit as an independent MP in the Commons.

In a statement issuing her apology, Ms Pochin said: “My comments were phrased poorly, and I apologise for any offence caused, which was not my intention.

“The point I was trying to make is that the British advertising agency world have gone DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] mad and many adverts are now unrepresentative of British society as a whole.

“I will endeavour to ensure my language is more accurate going forward.”

Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, said her apology was “nothing more than a shameless attempt to dodge responsibility for her own words”.

“Instead of showing a shred of remorse, she’s doubled down and tried to excuse the inexcusable,” he said.

“Nigel Farage keeps insisting that racism has no place in his party. Now is his chance to prove it – he must withdraw the whip or concede that Reform tolerates blatant racism.”

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Mr Streeting also condemned Ms Pochin’s comments, telling the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “She’s only sorry that she’s been caught and called out.

“What we have seen on our streets in recent weeks and months is a return of 1970s, 1980s-style racism that I thought we had left in the history books.

“The only way we are going to defeat this racism is to call it out and confront it for what it is

“The deafening silence from her party leader says it all.”

Earlier this year, Ms Pochin sparked controversy when she asked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer whether he would follow the lead of some European countries in banning the burka.

Mr Yusuf resigned from the party later that day, but subsequently rejoined.