South Basildon & East Thurrock / data
James McMurdock · Independent · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
660days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
223
of 504 possible
Attendance
44%
281 absent / paired
Whip alignment
59%
vs party majority
Speeches
29
20 debates
Written Qs
3,408
3,183 answered
Committees
0
memberships
Expenses
£172k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 51 claims
Interests
1
1 category
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 67 | |
| Economy | 43 | |
| Employment | 26 | |
| Crime & Policing | 25 | |
| Education | 23 | |
| Housing | 20 | |
| Renters | 13 | |
| Energy | 12 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Local Government | 8 | 1,285 |
| Economy Jobs | 7 | 1,204 |
| Immigration | 5 | 1,112 |
| Education | 2 | 937 |
| Technology | 1 | 620 |
| Environment | 1 | 575 |
| Cost Of Living | 3 | 547 |
| Defence | 5 | 489 |
B · Notable divisions
Free votes, rebellions and high-salience whipped votes — the moments that distinguish this MP from the party machine. The full division-by-division record will follow once the per-MP archive is wired.
| Date | Division | Whip | MP voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 2025 | Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill Committee: Amendment 9Vote on Amendment 9, proposed by Dr Al Pinkerton (Lib Dem), to the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. The a… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Football Governance Bills [Lords]: Reasoned Amendment to Second ReadingMPs voted on a 'reasoned amendment' to the Football Governance Bill at its Second Reading — a procedural motion by the opposition (Conservat… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Football Governance Bills [Lords]: Second ReadingMPs voted on whether to give the Football Governance Bill a Second Reading, advancing legislation that would establish an independent regula… | Rebelled | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 02 Mar 2026 | Middle EastAlthough I might not agree with all the conclusions that the Prime Minister has drawn, I am very grateful for the reverence and caution that he shows, and for the respect for human… DefenceEnergy | 82 |
| 28 Jan 2026 | EngagementsQ13. G R Carr is a business in Burnt Mills in my constituency with more than half a century of experience in steel manufacturing and fabrication. It is exactly the kind of medium-s… Economy JobsHealthDefence | 120 |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Key Stage 1 CurriculumI thank the hon. Member for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage) for her exceptionally detailed and very interesting opening speech. I have had the tremendous privilege of visiting several … Education | 424 |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Key Stage 1 CurriculumI am very grateful to the hon. Member for giving way at this last moment. Does she agree with me that these debates are called debates for a reason, and that where there is an over… Education | 103 |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Animal Rescue CentresIt is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank everybody involved with the petition, whether they put their name to it or got it off the ground. Just outside … EnvironmentLocal Government | 575 |
| 12 Jan 2026 | Local Elections: Basildon and ThurrockI appreciate the Minister’s answer about this being locally led, but there are genuine concerns that the criteria that may be put forward as a justification to cancel elections loc… Local GovernmentMp Performance | 69 |
| 12 Jan 2026 | Local Elections: Basildon and Thurrock13. What recent discussions he has had with Basildon and Thurrock councils on proposals to postpone the local elections of May 2026. Local GovernmentMp Performance | 22 |
| 08 Dec 2025 | Digital IDThat is a good point very well made, and it brings me to another point, which has not been raised in this debate: although the Government state that digital ID is optional—at least… TechnologyImmigrationEconomy Jobs | 279 |
| 08 Dec 2025 | Digital IDThank you for saving me until last, Ms Furniss. With Christmas around the corner, the squats from bobbing will come in very handy. The proposal to introduce digital ID represents o… TechnologyImmigrationEconomy Jobs | 341 |
| 24 Nov 2025 | Homelessness GuidanceMinisters will be well aware that the maximum period of time for which the most vulnerable people should ever be placed in temporary accommodation is six weeks, but I have seen rep… HousingLocal Government | 126 |
| 24 Nov 2025 | Homelessness Guidance12. What steps he is taking to improve homelessness guidance for local government. HousingLocal Government | 13 |
| 19 Nov 2025 | EngagementsQ7. It is an open secret that the gig economy is a magnet for organised crime and illegal workers. As Christmas approaches and demand increases, so do the associated risks. Will th… Economy JobsFiscal PolicyImmigration | 52 |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Social Media Posts: Penalties for OffencesWill the hon. Member give way on that point? CrimeCulture Community | 9 |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Channel CrossingsAccording to a recent National Audit Office report, £15.3 billion will be spent on asylum accommodation alone over the next 10 years. That money will be spent on people who will, i… ImmigrationFiscal PolicyCost Of Living | 74 |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Channel Crossings7. What steps she is taking to reduce the cost to the public purse of migrants who have crossed the channel illegally. ImmigrationFiscal PolicyCost Of Living | 22 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 520 | 15.3% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 426 | 12.5% |
| Home Office | 378 | 11.1% |
| Department for Education | 339 | 9.9% |
| Department for Transport | 214 | 6.3% |
| Treasury | 197 | 5.8% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 181 | 5.3% |
| Ministry of Justice | 180 | 5.3% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what data her Department will collect to measu… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Decisive action to break influence of gas on electricity prices, published on 21 April 2026, which electricity generat… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, whether funding and shift patterns will be bia… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what proportion of the additional personnel wi… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what targets have been agreed with the French… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Decisive action to break influence of gas on electricity prices, published on 21 April 2026, what monitoring arrangeme… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Guide to the Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme, published in January 2026, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) intermodal rail, (b) bulk rail and (c) in… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the pr… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, whether the additional personnel will be (a) d… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what the planned deployment timetable is for t… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what assessment she has made of the effectiven… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, how much of the funding is contingent on perfo… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK-France agreement to reduce illegal crossings, published on 23 April 2026, what estimate she has made of the proportional… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Decisive action to break influence of gas on electricity prices, published on 21 April 2026, what assessment he has ma… | Pending |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's Guide to the Mode Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) Scheme, published in January 2026, what assessment has she made of the adequacy of infrastructure serving East Ti… | Pending |
E · Committees
No committee memberships recorded for this MP.
F · Expenses
Every business-cost claim reimbursed by IPSA in the current financial year, grouped by category. “Aggregated” rows are IPSA’s own year-end totals for cost types like payroll and rent that aren’t itemised claim-by-claim.
Category breakdown
| Category | Claims | Paid (£) | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 20 | 6,555 | 3.8% |
| Office Costs | 20 | 3,059 | 1.8% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 1,564 | 0.9% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 1,532 | 0.9% |
| Staffing | 0 | 158,960 | 92.6% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 20 | 6,555 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 2 | 2,040 |
| Moving Fees | Office Costs | 2 | 610 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 6 | 344 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 10 | 64 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 50 | Paid |
| 11 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | -34 | Paid |
| 19 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 270 | Paid |
| 19 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 17 | Paid |
| 18 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 34 | Paid |
| 18 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 7 | Paid |
| 10 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 343 | Paid |
| 05 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 198 | Paid |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 205 | Paid |
| 08 Jan 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 210 | Paid |
| 18 Dec 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 420 | Paid |
| 11 Dec 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 420 | Paid |
| 04 Dec 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 420 | Paid |
| 27 Nov 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 420 | Paid |
| 21 Nov 2024 | Office Costs Moving Fees | Legal costs | 250 | Paid |
| 20 Nov 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] | 294 | Paid |
| 15 Nov 2024 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner December 2024 | 20 | Paid |
| 15 Nov 2024 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner December 2024 | 13 | Paid |
| 15 Nov 2024 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner December 2024 | 8 | Paid |
| 15 Nov 2024 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner December 2024 | 6 | Paid |
G · Register of interests
Every financial interest declared by the MP, grouped under the Register’s official categories. Retracted entries are hidden but counted above.
8. Miscellaneous1 entry
02 Sept 2025
Directorship of Gym Live Health and Fitness Limited. This is a dormant company awaiting strike off.
Date interest arose: 4 July 2024
(Registered 18 August 2025)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 7 wards, 7 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chadwell St Mary | Ngozi Alike | Labour Party | 1,133 | 02 May 2024 |
| Corringham Fobbing | John Robert Fox | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 684 | 02 May 2024 |
| East Tilbury | Sue Sammons | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 725 | 02 May 2024 |
| Orsett | David Day | Conservative and Unionist Party | 657 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stanford East Corringham Town | Roy Robert Jones | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 809 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stanford Le Hope West | Ross James Byrne | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 656 | 02 May 2024 |
| The Homesteads | Clifford John Holloway | Labour Party | 731 | 02 May 2024 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 98,832 | Electorate 72,673 (2024) |
| Median age | 39 | years |
| Degree-educated | 22.2% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 86.8% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 66.2% | households |
| Private-rented | 14.7% | households |
| Social-rented | 19.1% | households |
| Employment rate | 59.4% | 16-64 in work |
J · Public spending
HMT publishes headline spending identifiable by region in PESA. Constituency-level capital allocations (Levelling-Up Fund, Towns Fund, UKSPF, transport capital, BEIS R&D) are published as separate departmental datasets. We are evaluating the cleanest reconciliation for a per-constituency view.