The Fylde MP has been accused of misusing donors’ funds.
Mark Menzies has quit the Conservative Party and will leave Parliament at the next election after an internal investigation found “a pattern of behaviour that falls below the standards expected of MPs”.
The Fylde MP has been accused of misusing political donations to cover his medical expenses and pay off “bad people” who had locked him in a flat and demanded money for his release.
An investigation into the allegations, denied by Mr Menzies, concluded on Sunday, finding that while there had not been a misuse of party funds, the MP’s behaviour fell below the required standards and may have breached the Nolan principles of public life.
Announcing his resignation, Mr Menzies said: “It has been an enormous privilege representing the people of Fylde since 2010, but due to the pressures on myself and my elderly mother, I have decided to resign from the Conservative Party and will not stand at the forthcoming general election.
“This has been a very difficult week for me and I request that my family’s privacy is respected.”
