Lancashire Police has confirmed that it has received a letter detailing concerns about MP Mark Menzies following allegations he asked local Tory members for cash
The police have confirmed they have received a formal complaint over claims a Tory MP misused campaign funds to pay “bad people”.
Mark Menzies is said to have called a 78-year-old former campaign manager at 3:15am claiming he was locked in a flat and needed £5,000 as a matter of “life and death”. The sum, which rose to £6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from party donors.
Lancashire Police said: “We can confirm that we have now received a letter detailing concerns around this matter and we are in the process of reviewing the available information in more detail.”
It comes after Labour said the allegations against the MP for Fylde warrant a police investigation. Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has written to Lancashire Police calling on the force to look into them.
Katie Fieldhouse, the woman who was called by Mr Menzies in the early hours on December 1, called for him to “fall on his sword” by stepping down as an MP. She said: “If he falls on his sword… go away and start afresh. That’s what I would like to happen.”
Ms Fieldhouse says she raised her concerns with the Chief Whip Simon Hart in January, but she became frustrated with the way the Conservative Party dealt with the complaint. She told the BBC: ”I put my faith completely in the party… nothing happened. I heard nothing… I am appalled.”
”The party has been part of my life, I’ve run every election campaign here for 40 years. I work myself into the ground for the party – all they hear is a 78-year-old little old lady. I am not having this brushed under the carpet.”
“The party has let me down. I have said; my faith in the party is like my faith in God… they’ve let me down. I watch people go for a walk in this quiet area. Do I want them to go out and vote for a man who gets himself locked up and needs money to get him out? No.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives of being too slow to act. Mr Menzies was only suspended by the party after the allegations became public earlier this week. Mr Starmer: “In the last 24 hours we have found out that the Government was told months ago about this, and they seem to have sat on their hands.
“If they thought they could sweep this under the carpet somehow they were obviously very mistaken and that is why I think there are very serious questions now that need to be answered. Not just by the individual but also by the Government on this.”
Mr Sunak declined to say whether Mr Menzies should quit as an MP. The PM said: “It’s right that Mark Menzies has resigned the Conservative whip. He’s been suspended from his position as a trade envoy whilst the investigations into those allegations continue. For our part I can’t comment on our ongoing investigation while it’s happening, and he’s no longer a Conservative MP, as I said.”
In a statement to The Times, Mr 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.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential. The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.”
