James McMurdock
James McMurdock | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Metcalfe |
| Majority | 98 (0.25%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c.June 1986 (age 38) |
| Political party | Reform UK |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Sussex (BA) |
| Occupation |
|
James McMurdock (born c. June 1986)[1][2][3] is a British Reform UK politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Basildon and East Thurrock since 2024.[4]
Early life, family and education[edit]
McMurdock grew up in Basildon, Essex in a council house in Vange and Pitsea and went to a state school.[5] His mother, Yvonne Allen, is a professional accountant.[citation needed] He graduated from the University of Sussex with a Bachelor of Arts in economics.[6][7] During his time at the university, he was elected treasurer of the varsity rugby club and also co-founded the finance society there.[6]
He worked in the banking sector between the early 2000s until 2024 for Barclays Capital, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers – specialising in energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing.[6]
Assault conviction[edit]
In c. 2005, McMurdock, who was aged 19, was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend.[2] McMurdock was working as a barman at the time of the assault, which happened outside a nightclub in Chelmsford.[2] He pled guilty to one count of assault at Chelmsford Crown Court and spent ten days in a young offenders institution.[8][9]
In a statement in 2024, McMurdock said that it was the "biggest regret" of his life and that he was "deeply sorry".[2] He also said in the statement that they were both "very drunk", and that he handed himself into the police "immediately".[3] McMurdock also asserted that he "faced the consequences then" and paid for his actions "in full".[3]
Political career[edit]
Reform UK campaign (2024)[edit]
McMurdock joined Reform UK in May 2024, having become disillusioned with the main political parties, later stating to The Daily Telegraph that he "didn't like the choices in front" of him as a voter.[5] After paying to join the party, he received an email stating that the party was short of candidates for the 2024 general election, and so McMurdock chose to be a "paper candidate" in the election.[5] During the campaign, he acted as his own agent, and spent £400 on 20,000 fliers.[5] He also did not legally state on the leaflet who sponsored him, leading to his wife and him spending numerous evenings stamping each leaflet to add that Reform UK was sponsoring his candidacy.[5]
McMurdock was elected the Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock in the 2024 general election with a majority of 98 votes (0.25%), beating Jack Ferguson of the Labour Party after the third recount.[4] His parents and two sisters acted as his count agent.[5] His election as an MP was reported as a surprise,[10][11][12] as he had gained the seat from Conservative Party incumbent Stephen Metcalfe, who had served as MP for the constituency for the last 14 years.[13] He became the second Reform UK MP in Essex, after leader Nigel Farage, and the fifth Reform UK MP elected in the 2024 general election.[11] His majority was the seventh smallest in the entire general election.[5]
Reform UK later received criticism that McMurdock's assault conviction was not made public prior to the election.[2][3] A Reform party spokesperson later confirmed that it was aware of his previous conviction before McMurdock became a prospective parliamentary candidate, but went on to say that reporting on the incident was a breach of McMurdock's privacy.[3] The spokesperson said that the party believed "strongly that people can change their lives" and said that McMurdock was "entirely honest" about the conviction when he applied for the candidacy, and also said that McMurdock's life showed that "one can change, for the better."[3]
Parliament (2024–present)[edit]
McMurdock was sworn in by oath to Parliament on 10 July 2024.[14][15]
Personal life[edit]
McMurdock is married with four children.[5]
Political positions[edit]
McMurdock identifies as a conservative.[5] He has described himself a "small state" and" low tax" person, and stated that he wants "government out of people's lives", and also for "decisions and spending to be accountable to taxpayers."[16]
Whilst speaking about how during his election campaign he listened to parents of children with special needs who had been struggling to get support, McMurdock stated that children of "all different abilities" should be able to get an "education that works much better for them."[17]
References[edit]
- ^ "James MCMURDOCK personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ a b c d e Knight, Matt (15 July 2024). "Reform MP's assault conviction his 'biggest regret'". BBC. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "New Reform UK MP revealed to have previously been jailed for attacking ex-girlfriend". The Independent. 2024-07-15. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ a b "South Basildon and East Thurrock - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bird, Steve (2024-07-06). "James McMurdock – the new Reform MP who only joined the party in May". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- ^ a b c "South Basildon and East Thurrock Constituency - James McMurdock Reform UK". Reform UK. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Who is James McMurdock? Meet the fifth Reform UK MP". The Echo. Basildon. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "'The biggest regret of my life' – South Basildon MP's statement on assault conviction". Echo. 2024-07-14. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ Reporter, Staff (2024-07-13). "New Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock was once JAILED for 'assaulting' ex-girlfriend". Your Thurrock. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ Day-Parker, Jessica (6 July 2024). "Who is James McMurdock? Meet Reform's new South Basildon and East Thurrock MP". The Echo. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024 – via yahoo.com.
- ^ a b "Reform wins fifth seat in South Basildon and East Thurrock". BBC News. 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Reform UK's five MPs arrive for first day in Westminster". www.shropshirestar.com. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- ^ "Basildon South & E Thurrock | General Election 2024 | Sky News". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Members Sworn". Hansard. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ McMurdock, James [@JamesReform] (10 July 2024). "South Basildon and East Thurrock, it's official, I belong to you. So help me God" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 July 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Meet James McMurdock, the fifth Reform MP that nobody expected". The Independent. 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- ^ "Nigel Farage's Reform UK will address Essex SEND provision". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-07-10.