Mark Menzies: MP quits Conservatives after claims he misused party funds

Mark Menzies, Member of Parliament, has decided not to run in the upcoming election. He resigned from the Conservative Party after they discovered a habitual conduct that did not meet the expectations of Members of Parliament.

The MP representing Fylde was charged with the allegations of utilizing the party's funds to settle debts with unsavory individuals.

The party stated that it is unable to determine if party funds had been misappropriated because the funds were obtained from an organization that falls beyond its jurisdiction.

In the past, Mr Menzies firmly rejected the accusations.

The member of parliament was removed from the Conservative Party this week due to allegations that were published in the Times. It was reported that last December, he contacted a party supporter in the middle of the night and requested a sum of £5,000.

He mentioned that he required funds to give to "dangerous individuals" who had confined him inside an apartment, supposedly highlighting that his circumstances were dire and urgent.

It was alleged that Mr Menzies utilized party funds amounting to £14,000 to settle his medical expenses.

On Sunday, Mr. Menzies declared that he was resigning "because of the stress on me and my aged mother."

He went on to say, "This past week has been incredibly challenging for me and I kindly ask that my family's privacy is honored."

The Conservative Party has announced that they have completed a probe into the matter and determined that the funds sent over to Mr. Menzies had been approved by the two officials in charge of the Fylde Westminster organization.

The party declared that the group fell beyond the scope of the Conservative Party as well as the Fylde Conservative Association in the area. They added that it wasn't possible to determine if there was any misuse of Conservative Party funds in this case.

Nevertheless, we hold the view that there is a consistent series of actions demonstrating a lack of adherence to the required conduct of MPs and persons responsible for managing contributions to regional election financing that are not under the direct control of the Conservative party.

The research also discovered that Mr Menzies could have violated the Nolan principles, which are meant to instruct individuals who hold public office. These principles are based on qualities such as putting others before oneself, being honest and impartial, taking responsibility for actions, being transparent, truthful, and being capable of being a leader.

The declaration said that the allegations made against the party are of a serious nature and have been repeatedly made. Thus, the member governance team of the Conservative Party will review them.

Anneliese Dodds, who holds the position of Chairwoman of the Labour Party, sent a letter to Lancashire Police on Friday, requesting an inquiry to be conducted.

The police department declared that they have been given a letter which expressed worries regarding this issue. As a result, they are presently examining the accessible data more thoroughly.

Ms Dodds urged the Conservative Party to reveal what steps they have taken in regards to the "shocking allegations" made against Mr Menzies, which they have known about since January. She called for the party to "come out of hiding" and be transparent about their actions.

Following the declaration of the findings from their inquiry, the Conservatives committed to "providing any details to law enforcement authorities should they deem it valuable towards any potential investigation they choose to pursue".

Additionally, the statement conveyed that any insinuation that the party has not given proper attention to this issue is patently untrue.

The political organization made public that they will provide education for their members regarding handling "financial matters that don't fall under the jurisdiction of the Conservative Party" and establish a hotline for reporting misconduct.

Mr. Menzies will remain as a self-governing Member of Parliament (MP) until the upcoming election, indicating that no extraordinary election will take place in the zone.