The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has opened an investigation into independent Essex MP James McMurdock over allegations that he used the social platform X to facilitate racial abuse, the watchdog said.
The complaint centres on an allegation that McMurdock posted a single-letter reply that helped initiate an "N‑tower" — a series of one-letter replies that, when read downward, spell a racial slur. Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who reported the post to the commissioner, said the tweet amounted to an attempt to denigrate a journalist on the basis of her race and had caused "significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons." McMurdock has denied the allegation and said he would cooperate with the investigation.
Obese-Jecty told Times Radio the tweet was "an absolute disgrace, whether accidental or otherwise," and added that, in his view, McMurdock was "not fit to be a Member of Parliament." The complaint names as context a thread relating to a question posed by a Black journalist to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, where McMurdock is said to have replied with the letter "N" and other users then posted subsequent single letters.
McMurdock described his contribution as "an entirely random, and wholly insignificant, one-letter comment" he said he made while on holiday. He told the commissioner he had "no connection" to the accounts that posted subsequent letters and said: "I'll respond and they'll clear it." The commissioner has accepted the complaint for investigation, a step that will determine whether further inquiry or formal findings are required.
The alleged method, described in the complaint as an "N‑tower," is a way of assembling a racial slur without any single respondent using the prohibited term directly, by sequencing single-letter replies to form the word when read vertically. The complaint argues such conduct, if proven, could amount to behaviour that brings the House into disrepute and breaches the MPs' code of conduct.
McMurdock, who sits as an independent, has previously faced scrutiny over his conduct and business dealings. He left Reform UK amid questions about Covid-related loans taken out by companies linked to him, and he has a past conviction for assault. Those matters are separate from the current standards complaint but have been cited in public and parliamentary debate about his suitability to serve.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is an independent official who assesses complaints about MPs' behaviour against the House of Commons' code of conduct. If the commissioner finds evidence of a breach, the matter can be referred to the Commons Standards Committee, which may recommend sanctions ranging from apologies and training to suspension, depending on the severity of any finding.
Neither the commissioner nor McMurdock provided a timetable for the inquiry. The investigation follows growing attention on the role of social media platforms, many of which are U.S.-based, in facilitating coordinated online abuse and the responsibilities of elected officials when they engage on those platforms.
The case was reported to the commissioner by Obese-Jecty and publicly disclosed on Sept. 16–17, 2025. The commissioner will now examine the evidence and determine whether the conduct breached parliamentary standards. McMurdock has said he will cooperate with the investigation; the watchdog's findings will decide any next steps.