Reform UK MP comes out fighting after self-suspension - as rivals gloat

On Thursday, Reform UK's Zia Yusuf was gloating that a hard-left party led by Jeremy Corbyn meant the odds of Nigel Farage becoming PM had narrowed further.

But now that James McMurdock's self-suspension over "business propriety" allegations means Reform UK is down from five MPs to four - again - it's Reform's rivals who are gloating. "Does Farage think he [McMurdock] is fit to be an MP?" demanded Labour's chair, Ellie Reeves, while the Conservatives claimed: "Reform are perpetually in chaos…" Despite garnering 14.3% of the votes in the general election a year ago, Mr Farage's party won just five seats.

Then there were four, after Rupert Lowe was ousted in March. Then, after Sarah Pochin's triumph in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election in May, it was five again.

And now it's four again. For now, at least.

A defiant Mr McMurdock is fighting back and says he only removed the party whip from himself as a precaution and to protect Reform UK. "All my business dealings [have] always been conducted fully within the law and in compliance with all regulations," he wrote on X on Saturday.

The Sunday Times claims he took out £70,000 of loans during the pandemic under a government Bounce Back scheme through two companies he owned. Read more:Has Labour's first year been a success or failure?New party under Corbyn would threaten StarmerChancellor hints at tax rises in Autumn budget The paper claims one had no employees and neither filed accounts, a violation of the Companies Act, and he failed to declare one of the directorships in the MPs' register of interests.

This is not the first controversy for Mr McMurdock, whose 39th birthday was last Saturday, since he became an MP a year ago. It has been a difficult 12 months for him.

He was, in fact, never meant to become an MP. He was what's known in political jargon as a "paper candidate.