It feels like this is the sort of information that would’ve been handy to have during the election campaign, and not after it. On Friday, it emerged that James McMurdock, one of five Reform candidates elected as an MP, had previously been incarcerated.
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Who is James McMurdock?
Although the exact details are disputed by Mr. McMurdock, he has confirmed that he was charged with common assault, leading to him spending a short stint in jail. The attack is understood to have happened 20 years ago, when he was a teenager.
In the run-up to the trial, the banker-turned-MP had initially professed his innocence, right up until the last moment. It was only after the victim and her family had given witness statements that James McMurdock changed his plea to guilty.
Reform MP previously served jail time for ex-girlfriend assault
He has been branded a ‘monster’ by the victim’s mother, who has also rejected the notion that he should be allowed to represent the public. It is alleged that McMurdock injured his ex, left her body bruised and marked, and was ‘pulled away by two doormen’.
In his statement, the MP gave his version of events:
“While I absolutely deny the horrific details in this tale, there is one truth in it that I cannot, nor will not deny or hide from. Nearly 20 years ago, at 19 years of age, at the end of a night out together, we argued and I pushed her.”
“She fell over and she was hurt. Despite being 38 now and having lived a whole life again I still feel deeply ashamed of that moment and apologetic. I handed myself into the police immediately and admitted my fault.” | James McMurdock
Reform blasted for ‘dishonesty’ with the public
It’s also worth noting that the Reform representative won in South Basildon and East Thurrock by just 98 votes, after a recount. As pointed out by the Labour leader of Basildon Council, these details being made public could have changed the end result.
“Law breakers, can’t be law makers. This is a deeply disturbing story about our new MP in South Basildon and East Thurrock. If Reform UK knew about his criminal record before the election, why were they not honest with the public?” | Gavin Callaghan