James Stewart Murray (born 13 July 1983) is a British politician who has served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General since 2026. A member of the Labour and Cooperative party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ealing North since 2019. He served as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care from May to July 2026, following the resignation of Wes Streeting. He previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from September 2025 until May 2026, and as the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from July 2024 until September 2025. He served as Deputy Mayor of London for Housing from 2016 to 2019.
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Early life and education
James Murray was born on 13 July 1983 in Hammersmith. His mother Lynne was a Labour councillor for Cleveland ward in Ealing from 2014 to 2018. His grandmother was an active Labour supporter. He grew up in West Ealing and was privately educated at St Paul's School, before studying PPE at Wadham College, Oxford. Murray graduated with a first-class BA degree in 2004.