In a stunning turn of events, James McMurdock has been declared the winner of the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency in Britain’s General Election, after a nail-biting three-way race that required three recounts.
McMurdock, a Reform Party candidate, secured 12,178 votes, just 98 more than Labour’s 12,080 votes. The Conservatives trailed closely behind with 10,159 votes. The tight race had left everyone on the edge of their seats, with even Nigel Farage, the Reform Party leader, admitting to biting his nails in anticipation of the result.
Farage, who has been a vocal supporter of McMurdock, hailed the victory as a major success for his party. He described McMurdock as a “paper candidate” who had defied expectations to win the seat, citing the candidate’s humble campaign resources and a team consisting only of himself, his mother, and his father.
The local Basildon Echo reported that the council had initially been prepared to declare the result early in the morning, but allegations of counting errors by the Labour party led to a total recount. The election was eventually recounted three times before the final result was announced.
In a congratulatory message, former US President Donald Trump praised Farage’s election victory, writing on Truth Social: “Congratulations to Nigel Farage on his big WIN of a Parliament Seat Amid Reform UK Election Success. Nigel is a man who truly loves his Country!”
