James Murray

James Stewart Murray (born 13 July 1983) is a British Labour Co-operative politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ealing North since the 2019 general election. He previously worked as Deputy Mayor for Housing for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Early life

He was born in Hammersmith and grew up in Ealing North. He attended a private school and studied PPE at Wadham College, Oxford.

Political career

James served as a councillor in Islington from 2006–16. As a member of the council's executive, Inside Housing reports he "was known as the most firebrand of London’s Labour cabinet members for housing".

James advised Sadiq Khan during his selection and election campaigns to become Mayor of London, and became London's Deputy Mayor for Housing in 2016 amid reports developers were lobbying against his appointment.

As Deputy Mayor, James oversaw the Mayor's £4.8bn affordable homes programme, and launched the first-ever City Hall initiative dedicated to building council homes. This programme, Building Council Homes for Londoners, boosted council homebuilding to its highest level in 34 years.

James was elected as Member of Parliament for Ealing North in December 2019 and gave his maiden speech in January 2020. He became a member of the Health and Social Care Committee in March 2020 and was appointed to the Opposition Whips Office in April 2020.

Personal life

He is openly gay. His mother Lynne Murray was a Labour Councillor in Cleveland Ward, Ealing 2014–18.