Reform MP James McMurdock removes party whip ‘from himself’ over Covid loans investigation
Reform MP James McMurdock has suspended himself as chief whip following a Sunday Times investigation into his misuse of Covid-19 government loans.
McMurdock, who has represented South Basildon and East Thurrock since last July’s general election, is alleged to have borrowed tens of thousands of pounds under the government’s Bounce Back loans scheme, according to a Sunday Times investigation.
In a statement published on Reform’s X account on Saturday afternoon, Reform MP Lee Anderson said: “I have today received a call from James McMurdock who has advised me, as Chief Whip, that he has removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that are likely to be published by a national newspaper.”
Anderson said that McMurdock has “agreed to co-operate in full with any investigation”.
The Sunday Times alleges that McMurdock borrowed £70,000 in loans from two companies, neither of which filed account or annual corporate filings with companies house.
The first company, JAM Financial Limited, was employee-less, while Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited was dormant until January 31, 2020.
Medium-sized UK businesses were eligible of loans of up to £50,000 during the pandemic, although loans were limited to companies with an annual turnover of at least £200,000.
McMurdock also appears to have breached parliamentary rules by failing to disclose his links to Gym Live Health and Fitness on his register of interest.
Parliamentary rules require MPs to register “significant, formal unpaid roles such as an unpaid directorship, a directorship of a company not currently trading, or a trusteeship”.
Reform is set to launch its own inquiry into the loans, according to The Sunday Times.
City AM has approached Reform and James McMurdock for comment.