A Conservative MP has been suspended from the party after being accused of using campaign funds to pay off “bad people”.
Mark Menzies, who represents the constituency of Flyde, is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to an aide asking for help because he had been locked up by “bad people” in the middle of the night.
The Fylde MP, 52, disputes the allegations reported by The Times.
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According to the The Times newspaper, £14,000 given by donors for use on Conservative campaign activities was transferred to Menzies’ personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.
The MP is also said to have called his 78-year-old former campaign manager at 3.15am one day in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed £5,000 as a matter of “life and death”.
Menzies’ campaign manager paid him the sum, which had risen to £6,500, from her personal savings. She was reimbursed from campaign donations, The Times said.
Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said the party had been aware of the claims “for a while” but “further information came to light yesterday”.
Shapps told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I understand that CCHQ have been aware for it for a while and have been investigating, and I think some new investigation has come to light subsequently.”
In a statement, Menzies said: “I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.”
The Liberal Democrats deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, said it was “frankly appalling” that the Conservative party had been aware of the allegations for more than three months.
“When our national security faces threats on many fronts, it is deeply concerning that some MPs are so open to traps, threats and manipulations”, she said.
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