A Tory MP Mark Menzies has been suspended for allegedly misusing party funds after claims he made a late night call to ask for money to pay off “bad people”.
The MP called an elderly party volunteer saying he was locked in a flat and needed £5,000 as a matter of “life and death”, the Times reports.
An eventual sum of £6,500 was paid to secure his release, which came out of party funds, the paper claims.
The MP has “strongly disputed” the allegations.
He has had the Conservative whip removed and the party is carrying out an an investigation.According to the Times, Mr Menzies, who represents Fylde, in Lancashire, phoned his 78-year-old former campaign manager at 03:15 last December to ask for £5,000.
Medical bills
The sum was reportedly paid later that morning, by which time it had risen to £6,500, from the personal savings of Mr Menzies’ office manager, who was reimbursed from campaign donations, the paper said.
A source close to Mr Menzies told the Times he paid the money because he was scared of what would happen if he refused, but didn’t have enough in his own savings.
Mr Menzies offered to repay the funds but claimed local Tories who controlled the account the money came from said he didn’t need to, a source told the paper.
The Times also reports Mr Menzies used a total of £14,000 – in several payments stretching back four years – from campaign funds to pay his personal medical bills.
A source close to Mr Menzies disputed the claim that it had been the MP’s suggestion to use campaign funds to pay his medical bills, the paper reported, but the Times says the money was not repaid.
The Conservative Party was made aware of the allegations in January, when Mr Menzies’ former campaign manager reported what had happened to the chief whip, Simon Hart.
BBC News has contacted Mr Menzies for comment and he is yet to respond.
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.”
Source: BBC
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