Mark Menzies: MP gives up Tory whip amid investigation into claims he misused campaign funds
A member of parliament from the Conservative party has been temporarily banned as the party looks into allegations that he improperly utilized campaign finances, as reported by newspapers.
The Times reported that Mark Menzies is accused of using money donated by supporters to pay for his healthcare costs and reaching out to a senior assistant for assistance after he was detained by dangerous individuals who requested payment for his release.
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The Member of Parliament for Fylde, located in Lancashire, is one of the trade envoys for Rishi Sunak. Although he denies the accusations, the Conservative Party declared that they are taking the claims "seriously" and that they "will always look into any concerns brought to their attention."
According to reports, Simon Hart, the main enforcer of the party's rules, was informed about the allegations in January when the person in charge of the campaign previously stated what had occurred.
Last night, a choice was made to revoke the use of the whip.
A representative for Mr. Hart has stated that Mark Menzies has decided to give up his membership in the Conservative party temporarily while an investigation is ongoing, following a discussion with the chief whip.
When a member of parliament loses the whip, it means they are no longer a part of their political party. In this case, Mr. Menzies is no longer a Conservative MP and will now sit in the House of Commons as an independent MP instead.
Mr Menzies responded to The Times' inquiries by expressing his disagreement with the accusations placed against him. He adamantly maintains that he adhered to all procedures required for disclosures. Due to the ongoing investigation, he has elected not to make any additional comments at this time.
A representative of the Conservative Party stated that they are looking into claims made against one of their MPs. They mentioned that this matter is rightfully being kept private.
The group considers every accusation important and will thoroughly examine any issues presented to them.
What claims have been made in The Times?
According to reports, Mr Menzies, who has been an MP since May 2010, called his former campaign manager, who is 78 years old, in December at 3:15 in the morning. He stated that he was trapped in an apartment and that there were dangerous people around him. He pleaded with his former campaign manager for £5,000, saying that his life depended on it.
According to the article, the office manager eventually paid the total amount of £6,500 using her own personal bank account. Later on, the funds were repaid from donations collected in an account called Fylde Westminster Group.
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As per someone in close proximity to Mr Menzies, he chose to give them payment out of fear of the consequences that could have happened, yet he lacked the money to transfer it out of his personal savings.
There have been instances where it is claimed that Mr Menzies used money from the campaign fund to pay for his own personal expenditures.
According to reports from 2020, he asked for £3,000 to pay for his medical expenses. However, he failed to pay it back and requested an additional £4,000 instead.
According to the newspaper, someone who is familiar with the MP, disagreed with this statement and clarified that Mr. Menzies did not recommend using campaign funds to settle his medical expenses.
Mr. Menzies allegedly received an additional amount of £7,000 from the account in November.
The Times reported that none of the £14,000 designated for Mr. Menzies' medical expenses was returned.
Mr Menzies has been reached out to by Sky News for a statement.
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Claims of dishonest or immoral behavior are not exclusive to a particular political party.
Mr Menzies, a member of the Conservative Party, has recently been stripped of his whip due to accusations of misconduct.
In the nearby area of Blackpool South, Scott Benton has been temporarily removed from his duties due to his involvement in a deceitful lobbying scheme. Meanwhile, in Wellingborough, Peter Bone was given a verdict by parliament for mistreating and behaving in a sexually inappropriate manner towards one of his employees, and in Tamworth, Chris Pincher is facing accusations of groping.
The previous week, William Wragg, who represents Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, abandoned his political allegiance. This occurred after he revealed to The Times that he had provided phone numbers belonging to his peers to an individual he encountered through a dating application.
The Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, denied the idea that there is a connection between the incidents. During an interview with Sky News, he mentioned that there are other members of parliament from different parties who have also faced similar issues or bad behaviour, and it's important to have appropriate procedures in place to deal with such cases.
He stated that he did not have access to the reported information. However, he acknowledged that there seemed to be a matter that required investigation, and it was appropriate to withdraw the whip temporarily as a result.
On Wednesday, Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, expressed her dismay over the alleged knowledge of the Conservative Party regarding the accusations for over three months. She strongly stated that such behavior is unacceptable.
She stated that Rishi Sunak should promptly withdraw the whip from Mark Menzies until all relevant authorities have conducted an investigation into the matter.
