Suspended Reform MP captured campaigning for Farage in selfie taken by party’s Head of Wales

Martin Shipton

A Reform UK MP who remains suspended from the party over allegations of irregular Covid “Bounce Back” loans was photographed by the party’s “Head of Wales” campaigning for Nigel Farage in Clacton.

James McMurdock appears in a group selfie taken by Cllr David Thomas, a member of Torfaen council who heads the party’s administration in Wales.

Last week Farage was returned to the House of Commons after resigning his seat to fight a by-election. He alleged he was being persecuted by “the establishment” after failing to declare a £5m donation he accepted from a crypto-billionaire based in Thailand. Since his re-election, an investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has resumed.

James McMurdock was elected as the Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock in Essex at the general election in 2024.

In July 2025, an investigation by The Times alleged McMurdock had claimed £70,000 in Bounce Back business loans from the UK Government during the Covid pandemic in 2020 through two companies he owned.The first, JAM Financial Limited, “had no employees and negligible assets”, but he claimed £50,000; this was the maximum available and would have required an annual turnover of at least £200,000. He claimed £20,000 for a second company, Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited, which had been dormant until January 2020; this would have required a minimum turnover of £80,000.

Having been forewarned of The Times investigation, McMurdock suspended himself from Reform UK and its party whip. He stated that “all my business dealings had always been conducted fully within the law and in compliance with all regulations” and that he would cooperate fully with any investigation. He later said he had permanently left the party and announced on X that he would continue as an independent MP.

In 2006 McMurdock, then aged 19, was convicted of assault on his ex-girlfriend. McMurdock was working as a barman at the time of the assault, which happened outside a nightclub in Chelmsford. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault at Chelmsford Crown Court and spent 21 days in a young offenders institution. He received a custodial sentence for “kicking” the victim “around four times”.

McMurdock did not reveal this conviction before being elected as an MP, leading to accusations of misleading the public. After the conviction became public, he called it his “biggest regret” and apologised. However, he claimed he only “pushed” the victim, a statement contradicted by court records that showed he kicked her repeatedly.

A spokesperson for Reform UK said they knew about his past conviction, which is now considered ‘spent’. In an interview in January 2025, McMurdock again apologised.

In March 2026, both McMurdock and Farage said that they hoped McMurdock would rejoin Reform. He has not done so. however.

Campaigning

We contacted Mr McMurdock and asked whether in view of his campaigning in Clacton he had rejoined Reform.

He would only say: “The atmosphere in Clacton was fantastic and the support on the streets for Nigel was overwhelming.

“My status is available on the parliamentary website.”

On the parliamentary website Mr McMurdock is still described as an Independent MP.

Reform UK and David Thomas were also contacted for comment, but neither responded to our message.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.