Lancashire Police are currently reviewing information about allegations being made against the suspended Tory MP for Fylde, Mark Menzies. The police located in Lancashire have confirmed that they are examining the situation after Labour had written to them calling for an investigation. Menzies allegedly misused Tory funds and abused his position by requesting money from an activist to pay off people he described as “bad people”.
Menzies faced consequences for his actions as the Tory whip was withdrawn following the allegations, whilst the Tory party investigates these events. He has publicly stated that he disputes the allegations against him. The MP for Fylde has yet to comment on the case.
Anneliese Dodds, the Labour Party chairwoman, has written to the Lancashire Police to urge them to investigate the allegations being made against Mark Menzies. Lancashire Police acknowledged receiving the letter from Dodds and confirmed that they are scrutinising the available information in greater detail. A former campaign manager of Menzies, 78-year-old Katie Fieldhouse, informed the BBC that the MP called her at 3:15 am and asked her for a payment of £5,000 to “bad people” that had imprisoned him in an apartment.
Fieldhouse states that she declined, and in turn, Menzies obtained £6,500 for personal deals. The activist paid the funds from their savings, which they were later reimbursed from a local fund established to support campaigning. As per the Times, Menzies utilised £14,000 from this fund to settle his medical bills for the past four years in several transactions. Despite this, a trustworthy source close to Menzies disputes the assertion that he suggested utilising campaign funds for medical expenses. The Times speculates that Menzies will eventually pay the funds back.
In a statement responding to the allegations presented against him, Mr Menzies emphatically stated that he “strongly disputes the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations.” Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, raised serious questions about the government’s handling of the allegations, suggesting that they are accountable for the allegations brought forward and calling into question their management of the situation. Menzies has also been suspended from his role as a government trade envoy to South America, with these positions usually being assigned to MPs to help diplomatic deals and establish friendly relations with other countries
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