South Basildon and East Thurrock.

McMurdock is an independent MP under active investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over allegations he failed to register business interests and claimed Covid loans through companies with no employees or overdue accounts. He was originally elected as a Reform UK MP in 2024, suspended himself from the party whip in mid-2025, and has since sat as an independent. News coverage from that period -- including pieces in the BBC and Thurrock Gazette -- also surfaced a prior conviction for assaulting a former partner and questions about fabricated professional credentials. Reform was subsequently reported to be considering him as a candidate again, as recently as April 2026.

Since going independent, McMurdock has voted against the government on the employer National Insurance increases, consistently backing Lords amendments that would have protected salary sacrifice pension contributions and shielded small businesses from the levy -- a pattern that fits his stance profile, which shows 100% alignment against the NI increase and strong pro-business, anti-regulation positioning. He also voted to retain Lords amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill that would have strengthened victims' rights to court transcripts, compensation access, and the ability to challenge lenient sentences. His participation rate of 43% -- well below the Commons average -- limits the weight of those positions. He holds no committee seats.

McMurdock's voting record places him firmly on a low-tax, pro-business, anti-regulation line, with notable divergence from other independents on workers' rights and tenant protections. His last recorded speech was in March 2026, with debate contributions concentrated on economy, local government, and fiscal policy. The standards investigation remains open, and given the volume of news coverage -- 207 articles in 90 days, dominated by crime-related stories -- his conduct rather than his policy work is currently the dominant story for constituents.