James McMurdock

James McMurdock
Born	Basildon, Essex, England
Occupation(s)	Politician, former banking professional
Years active	2007–present
Known for	Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock since 2024

James McMurdock (born June 1986) is a British politician who has represented South Basildon and East Thurrock as a MP since 2024. Initially elected under the banner of Reform UK, McMurdock departed from the party in July 2025 following allegations that he obtained £70,000 through Bounce Back business loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite his enterprises being described as "effectively dormant."

Early life and education

McMurdock was born in June 1986 and raised in Basildon, Essex, in a council house, attending local state schools. He was the first member of his family to pursue higher education, achieving a BA degree in economics from the University of Sussex. While at university, he held the position of rugby club treasurer and co-established the finance society.

Per Reform UK’s account, McMurdock’s professional background includes banking roles from 2007 until his parliamentary election in 2024, primarily with Standard Chartered Bank and Barclays Capital, where he reached Senior Director status overseeing operations in the UK and India. His earlier experience involved working at Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers, concentrating on corporate lending for sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing. Nevertheless, reports suggest his stint at Goldman Sachs was likely a brief internship lasting three months, and that he remained a student during Lehman Brothers’ collapse in 2008. Additionally, his LinkedIn profile formerly indicated employment at his mother’s accountancy practice until 2010.

Reform UK campaign (2024)

McMurdock joined Reform UK in May 2024, expressing dissatisfaction with the dominant political parties and telling The Daily Telegraph that he "didn't like the choices in front of me as a voter." After a £25 membership fee, he was invited to stand as a paper candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, paying an additional £25 for candidate vetting.

Serving as his own election agent, McMurdock invested £400 to distribute 20,000 leaflets. Unaware that election materials require disclosure of sponsorship, he and his wife manually stamped each flyer to identify Reform UK as the sponsor. He raised £95 in donations and primarily reached voters via TikTok, where he amassed 10,000 followers.

He secured the parliamentary seat by a slim margin of 98 votes (0.25%), defeating incumbent Conservative MP Stephen Metcalfe, who had held the seat for 14 years. Due to the close result, the Labour candidate requested two recounts; McMurdock prevailed after all three counts. His family members acted as his counting agents. He credited his concentrated campaign efforts to being on paternity leave when the election was called.

Within Reform UK, McMurdock was relatively unknown prior to his victory, reflecting both the party’s limited support for most candidates and modest expectations regarding electoral success. Following the election, he became one of two Reform UK MPs representing Essex alongside leader Nigel Farage, and one of five Reform UK MPs elected nationwide in 2024. His winning margin ranked seventh smallest across the country and was the final English result declared due to multiple recounts.

Parliament (2024–present)

On 5 July 2025, The Times disclosed that McMurdock had obtained £70,000 in UK Government Bounce Back loans amid the 2020 Covid crisis through two of his companies. JAM Financial Limited, which had no employees and limited assets, secured £50,000—the highest sum allowed for businesses with at least £200,000 in annual revenue. Meanwhile, Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited, inactive until January 2020, received £20,000, a figure requiring a minimum turnover of £80,000.

Having been alerted to the impending inquiry, McMurdock temporarily withdrew from Reform UK and relinquished the party whip, maintaining that his business activities were fully compliant with legal and regulatory standards and committing to cooperate with the investigation. On 8 July, he formally resigned from Reform UK and declared via X that he would continue serving as an independent Member of Parliament.

Political positions

McMurdock identifies as a conservative and portrays himself as an advocate for a small state and low tax policies, promoting limited governmental interference alongside fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Personal life

McMurdock is married and has four children.

Assault conviction

At age 19 in 2006, McMurdock was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend outside a Chelmsford nightclub. He admitted guilt to one count of assault at Chelmsford Crown Court and served a 21-day sentence in a young offenders institution due to repeatedly kicking the victim.

This conviction was not disclosed prior to his 2024 election campaign, leading to criticism over a lack of transparency. Upon the matter becoming public, McMurdock issued an apology, describing it as his "biggest regret," though he minimized the incident by stating he only "pushed" the victim—a claim contradicted by court documentation. The victim's mother and certain political adversaries have called for his removal from office.

Reform UK acknowledged awareness of McMurdock's past conviction, which is now classified as 'spent'. In January 2025, McMurdock reiterated his remorse. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage admitted that McMurdock was not subject to initial vetting procedures and did not confirm whether he would fulfill any new vetting criteria.