Tory response to MP Mark Menzies allegations appalling, says activist

Authored by Nick Eardley and Isabella Allen The ongoing Brexit debate appears to be no closer to resolution a day after Prime Minister Theresa May decided to postpone a parliamentary vote on her proposed agreement with the European Union. The delay was widely seen as evidence that Mrs. May was unlikely to be able to get her deal passed through the U.K.’s parliament in its current form. The Brexit dispute remains unsettled as Prime Minister Theresa May has delayed the parliamentary vote to approve her proposed agreement with the European Union. This delay suggests that passing her deal through the British parliament is unlikely in its present state.

According to reports, the Conservative Party supporter who was supposedly contacted by a Member of Parliament in the wee hours of the morning to solicit financial assistance, expressed her disgust over the party's reaction during an interview with the BBC.

According to Katie Fieldhouse, Mark Menzies called her in the early hours of December, specifically at 3:15am, and requested that she lend him a sum of £5,000 to pay off some unsavory individuals.

The Conservatives put a hold on Mr Menzies' involvement with the party due to accusations made in the Times of him wrongly utilizing party funds and abusing his power.

According to the article, he vehemently denies the accusations.

The Tories claim that they initiated an inquiry following the filing of a formal grievance.

The BBC tried to contact Mr Menzies on multiple occasions, but he did not reply.

Ms. Fieldhouse, a Tory supporter for life, spoke with tears rolling down her cheeks from her residence in St. Anne's, Lancashire. She recalled a conversation she claims to have had with Mr. Menzies, the Fylde MP, in December of the previous year.

She informed BBC that he stated: "I've associated myself with unsavory individuals who have confined me in a residence and are withholding my release until I satisfy their demand for £5,000."

"I apologized and said 'Excuse me'. He responded urgently 'Katie, this is a critical situation where I need £5,000 from the account to save a life'."

Ms Fieldhouse declined to provide a loan to Mr Menzies but insisted that a different advocate lent him some funds from their own personal reserves.

As per the Times, the money was supposedly paid on a later morning, at that point it had increased to £6,500. The payment came from the personal savings of a different local activist who later got their money back from donations made towards the campaign.

According to a source, Mr Menzies volunteered to reimburse the money. However, he stated that the local Conservative party in charge of the account where the funds originated from had informed him that it was unnecessary.

Ms Fieldhouse had a conversation with the BBC in which she stated that she expressed her worries about Mr Menzies' money-related discussions to Chief Whip Simon Hart.

According to her, she explained her story to Mr. Hart and the Conservatives initiated an inquiry based on her account.

She grew annoyed with how the Conservative Party handled the issue.

"I trusted the party fully, but there was no response, no communication. I am extremely disappointed."

According to her, her kin had been dedicated supporters of the Conservative party for several years.

The celebration has been a significant aspect of my existence, as I've managed each voting race in this location for four decades.

"I exhaust myself for the party - but all they perceive is an elderly woman of 78 years."

She stated: "I refuse to ignore this issue."

I feel disappointed by the party's recent actions. Previously, I compared my trust in the party to my trust in a higher power, but they have failed to meet my expectations.

As I observe individuals strolling in this serene locality, I cannot help but ponder whether or not I desire them to cast their vote for a person who has been incarcerated and requires financial assistance to secure his release. My answer is in the negative.

The Conservative Party has selected Mr. Menzies to run for the parliamentary seat in the upcoming election. He is currently holding a strong lead with a majority of 16,611 votes.

Ms Fieldhouse urged him to step down from Parliament in the upcoming election.

"If he takes responsibility for his actions and resigns, it would be best to move on and begin anew. That is my desired outcome."

At first, the BBC did not disclose her identity, but now she has consented to reveal her name and address the public.

The head of the Labour Party is questioning the delay of the Conservative Party in taking action concerning accusations made against one of their Members of Parliament since December.

Reacting to the articles featured in the Times, the head of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, stated: "It's clear that there are still numerous vague points that require explanation with regards to these accusations.

Furthermore, I am curious as to why it took the Conservative Party a significant amount of time to take action on this matter. Have they also reported this to the authorities, as it appears to me that the police should be involved?

Lancashire Police released a statement stating that they have knowledge of media reports regarding a current Member of Parliament. However, the police have yet to receive any complaints regarding the matter.

"We will reach out to those who have been affected at the appropriate time to inquire if they would like to file a grievance."

According to The Times, Mr Menzies utilized a sum of £14,000 from his campaign funds to cover his personal medical expenses in multiple payments over the course of four years.

According to a person who is familiar with Mr. Menzies, they have denied the allegation that the Member of Parliament proposed to utilize campaign funds to cover his medical expenses. However, the Times maintains that the funds were not returned.

Mr Menzies has refuted the accusations against him in a statement given to the Times. He has claimed that he has abided by all the guidelines for declarations.

Who's Mark Menzies?

Mr. Menzies has held the position of an MP for over a decade now, but he has not yet had the opportunity to serve as a government minister.

He was raised by his mother in Ayrshire, Scotland as his father, who worked in the Merchant Navy, passed away a month before he was born.

He went to a private high school with support from the assisted places program, which gave discounted spots at schools that require payment. Later, he pursued a degree in socio-economic history at Glasgow University.

He has been involved in the Tory party since he was 16 years old and worked in retail prior to becoming a politician. He participated in a graduate training program at a supermarket called Marks & Spencer.