Alex Burghart · Conservative and Unionist Party
East of England, England
: 75,352
Con held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+52
Alex Burghart
Conservative and Unionist PartyAlex Burghart is the Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar, and has been an MP continually since 8 June 2017. He currently undertakes the roles of Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Brentwood and Ongar has been mixed for Alex across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Starmer told to 'get a grip' of McSweeney phone scandal” — Yahoo News UK
“Labour fears McSweeney will be hauled to MPs if messages not recovered” — Daily Mail Online
Represented by Con since 2024. Covers Brentwood, Ingatestone and Chipping Ongar. Population 100,826.
Motorcyclist airlifted to hospital after Brentwood crash
Essex Live · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£34,600
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£56,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
5,870
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
44
31 primary, 7 secondary, 6 other
Total Income Tax▼
£732m
from 57,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£3,830
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£12,800
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
48.3
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
70.5%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 1 town, 10 villages, rural areas — 98,370 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
15 councillors across 5 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackmore Doddinghurst | Conservative and Unionist Party | Cliff Poppy | May 2024 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Keith Parker | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Roger John McCheyne | May 2024 | |
| Brizes Stondon Massey South Weald | Conservative and Unionist Party | Chrissy Gelderbloem | May 2024 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Soni Pavinder Sunger | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Will Russell | May 2024 | |
| Herongate Ingrave West Horndon | Conservative and Unionist Party | Adrian Charles Baldock | May 2024 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Fiona Elizabeth Marsh | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Sheila Patricia Murphy | May 2024 | |
| Ingatestone Fryerning Mountnessing | Liberal Democrats | Darryl Michael Sankey | May 2024 |
| Liberal Democrats | Hugh Maurice Gorton | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Lesley Anne Wagland | May 2024 | |
| Ongar | Conservative and Unionist Party | Jaymey McIvor | May 2024 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Mary Elaine Dadd | May 2024 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Paul Stefan Keska | May 2024 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 17,731 | 36.7% |
| Ref | 11,751 | 24.3% | |
| Lab | 11,082 | 22.9% | |
| LD | 5,809 | 12.0% | |
| Green | 1,770 | 3.7% | |
| Ind | 189 | 0.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 36,308 | 68.6% |
| Lab | 7,243 | 13.7% | |
| LD | 7,187 | 13.6% | |
| Green | 1,679 | 3.2% | |
| Ind | 532 | 1.0% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GE | Con | 34,811 | 65.8% |
| Lab | 10,809 | 20.4% | |
| LD | 4,426 | 8.4% | |
| Ind | 1,845 | 3.5% | |
| Green | 915 | 1.7% | |
| Ind | 104 | 0.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2010 GE | Con | 30,534 | 58.8% |
| Ind | 8,724 | 16.8% | |
| Lab | 6,492 | 12.5% | |
| LD | 4,577 | 8.8% | |
| Green | 1,397 | 2.7% | |
| Ind | 173 | 0.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2015 GE | Con | 28,793 | 56.9% |
| LD | 11,872 | 23.5% | |
| Lab | 4,992 | 9.9% | |
| Ind | 2,037 | 4.0% | |
| Ind | 1,447 | 2.9% | |
| Green | 584 | 1.1% | |
| Ind | 491 | 1.0% | |
| Ind | 263 | 0.5% | |
| Ind | 113 | 0.2% |
Alex Burghart appeared in 1 national article across 2 topics (10 Apr 2026 – 10 Apr 2026)
Mixed (+0.20)Ranked #120 of 286 MPs mentioned in national coverage
Burghart gains political advantage by highlighting government weakness on legacy policy, though his characterization is presented as opposition rhetoric.
6 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A motorcyclist was airlifted to Royal London Hospital following a collision with a car on the A128 Brentwood Road near King George's Playing Fields in Brentwood. The road was closed in both directions while emergency services responded to the incident.
A road in Brentwood has been completely closed following a crash. The article provides minimal detail beyond this headline.
A serious collision between a car and motorcycle on the A128 Brentwood Road in Brentwood has caused full closure of both carriageways, creating significant traffic disruption in the area. The incident's severity and injury status remain unclear at the time of reporting.
Chariot House, an accountancy and tax advisory firm with offices in Brentwood, has joined bk plus group as part of the latter's national expansion. The firm is recognized for its work with owner-managed businesses and charities across the South East, and will continue operating from its Brentwood office under the new ownership.
A Brentwood woman, Charlotte Brown, was sentenced to four years in prison for blackmailing an elderly couple while faking terminal cancer and forging medical documents. The blackmail campaign, conducted with her affair partner Bradley Johnson, caused severe psychological harm to the victims, contributing to the death of one and hospitalisation of the other.
A person died after being struck by a train at Ingatestone station in the Brentwood and Ongar constituency on April 6. Emergency services responded and all train lines in the area were temporarily suspended; the incident is not being treated as suspicious.
A person died after being hit by a train near Ingatestone station on Easter Monday, causing significant rail disruptions between Shenfield and Chelmsford that affected services to London Liverpool Street. The incident was not treated as suspicious, and all lines resumed operation by 9pm.
Essex is expected to experience unusually warm weather for April, with temperatures reaching up to 23°C in some areas and 21°C in Brentwood. The forecast highlights that the region will be warmer than Mediterranean holiday destinations like Ibiza during the week.
Pete Wicks, a TOWIE star and animal welfare advocate, has been honoured with a dog-walking trail named after him at Weald Country Park near Brentwood. The trail is part of Essex County Council's wider initiative to launch new dog-walking routes across Essex's country parks this spring.
This is a regular monthly column written by Alex Burghart, the MP for Brentwood and Ongar, published in the local InYourArea platform.
Labour MPs and opposition figures are calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to demand that Morgan McSweeney, his former chief of staff, hand over personal mobile phones potentially containing messages about Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. The controversy centres on McSweeney's alleged possession of two additional personal phones beyond his stolen work phone, amid questions about transparency and accountability in government.
The Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker, a Cold War-era facility hidden beneath a bungalow in Brentwood, is now a public museum and paranormal tourism hotspot. The article highlights its historical significance as a potential regional government headquarters and its current appeal as a haunted attraction.
Farmer Scott in Brentwood is opening a tulip field in April featuring over 500,000 planted bulbs, offering visitors photo opportunities, refreshments, and the chance to pick their own flowers. The initiative follows the success of the farm's popular pumpkin patches and represents a seasonal attraction for local families.
Labour ministers are scrambling to recover messages between Sir Keir Starmer's former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and Peter Mandelson regarding Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. Tory MP Alex Burghart has criticized the government's handling of the missing phone and demanded transparency, warning that Parliament may compel McSweeney to testify under oath if the messages cannot be recovered.
Metropolitan Police are reviewing CCTV footage from a 2024 theft of a government phone belonging to Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister's then-chief of staff. The incident has become politically controversial, with Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart (the MP for Brentwood and Ongar) criticizing the government for allegedly covering up the loss and potential mishandling of sensitive communications with Peter Mandelson.
The government has approved a five-council model for Essex local government reorganisation, with Brentwood joining a new Mid Essex Council alongside Chelmsford and Maldon. Essex County Council is legally challenging this decision, while Colchester's council leader expresses disappointment at the challenge and supports moving forward with the government's approved model.
A feature article celebrates Doddinghurst, an Essex village near Brentwood, highlighting its appeal as a commuter village with countryside charm, good schools, local amenities, and friendly community. Residents praise its balance of rural character and convenient access to London via rail and major roads.
The PCS union is calling for civil servants to return to working from home to save money amid rising costs linked to Middle East tensions, while Shadow Chancellor Alex Burghart (the local MP) argues that office attendance is essential for accountability and productivity, proposing instead energy independence measures.
Brentwood Borough Council secured a conviction against serial fly tipper Daniel Hadley for dumping eight tonnes of waste across the borough between November 2024 and July 2025. However, the case highlights a broader enforcement concern: only one prosecution resulted from 648 fly tipping investigations between April and December 2025, prompting criticism from councillors about the council's commitment to tackling the problem.
An article about HSTikkyTokky (Harrison Sullivan), an influencer from Brentwood, Essex, discussing his estranged relationship with his father, former England rugby player Victor Ubogu, and allegations that his father has blocked contact with his half-siblings. The article traces Sullivan's upbringing in Brentwood and his subsequent controversial career as a 'manosphere' influencer.
Prime Minister Starmer plans to reimpose 76 EU directives through the King's Speech, with critics claiming this undermines Brexit. Shadow Chancellor Alex Burghart, the MP for Brentwood and Ongar, has strongly condemned the move as a betrayal that will burden British farmers and businesses with Brussels red tape.
Police are reopening an investigation into the theft of Morgan McSweeney's phone after admitting they recorded the wrong address when the crime was reported. The case is significant because McSweeney was Sir Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, and messages on his phone between him and Lord Mandelson regarding Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador may have been lost.
Brentwood Borough Council has adopted a 'Care Leavers Pledge' championed by world javelin champion Fatima Whitbread, who lives in Ingatestone. The pledge provides practical support for young people aged 16-25 leaving care, including housing priority, council tax exemption, job interview guarantees, and leisure centre access.
A Cabinet minister has left open the possibility of Labour backing UK rejoining the EU at the next election, with several senior figures suggesting Brexit has damaged the economy. Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart has criticised the Government for keeping the door open to EU rejoining, arguing it would undermine Britain's freedoms and public trust.
Morgan McSweeney's stolen phone may have contained evidence about his vetting of Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, has questioned the Government's record-keeping and called for accountability regarding the Mandelson appointment process.
A bank backed by Peter Mandelson has been fined £2million by the Bank of England's PRA for integrity failures and providing fabricated documents to regulators. The article also reports on Alex Burghart, the MP for Brentwood and Ongar, raising questions in Parliament about missing government documents related to Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.
A monthly column by Alex Burghart MP discussing local issues and updates relevant to Brentwood and Ongar constituents.
A controversy has emerged over whether communications between PM Starmer's former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and Peter Mandelson will be fully disclosed to Parliament, with Conservative shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart—the MP for Brentwood and Ongar—accusing the government of a cover-up regarding Mandelson's appointment as US Ambassador.
Brentwood Council has received an outline planning application for 32 new homes on the outskirts of Ingatestone, including 16 affordable homes, with consultation ending April 6 and a decision deadline of May 28. The development on a 1.8-hectare site would include pedestrian infrastructure and green space, addressing housing needs in this popular commuter town.
George Liddard, a 23-year-old boxer from Brentwood, successfully defended his British and Commonwealth middleweight titles against Tyler Denny, then completed the Brentwood Half Marathon hours later to raise money for a three-year-old charity case. The event was started by promoter Barry Hearn and attracted thousands of runners.
Passmores Academy in Harlow, Essex has implemented a smartphone ban during school hours using sealed pouches, reporting improved social interaction and emotional intelligence among pupils. The initiative aligns with broader efforts including a House of Lords amendment to reduce phone use in schools and reflects growing parental concern about smartphone harms to children.
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