'I have made mistakes and I am deeply sorry for that,' says disgraced Fylde MP Mark Menzies

The Lancashire MP 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 has issued an apology to his constituents.

Fylde MP Mark Menzies had previously announced he would not be standing at the forthcoming General Election.

In a personal column penned for the Lancashire Post, Lytham St Annes Express and Blackpool Gazette, Mr Menzies said he had ‘made mistakes’ and for that he was ‘deeply sorry’.

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 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.

Mr Menzies decision to stand down comes after The Times reported he had called his 78-year old former campaign manager, Kate Fieldhouse, 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”.

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 donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

The Times also reported that £14,000 given by donors for Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies’ personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

A party spokesman said the money in question had been signed off by two signatories of the Fylde Westminster Group.

They said: “This body sits outside of the remit of both the Conservative Party and Fylde Conservative Association. Therefore we cannot conclude that there has been a misuse of Conservative Party funds.

“However, we do believe that there has been a pattern of behaviour that falls below the standards expected of MPs and individuals looking after donations to local campaign funds which lie outside the direct jurisdiction of the Conservative Party.”

The spokesman said the Tories would retain individuals on managing such accounts and introduce a whistleblowing hotline.

They added: “Whilst outside the initial scope of this investigation, there has also been a recommendation that the actions of the MP in question have also potentially breached the Nolan principles of public life.

“This is due to the nature of the allegations made, but also the repetitive nature of these separate allegations. These will be reviewed by the Conservative Party’s member governance team.”

Mark Menzies full letter to his constituents

 As many of you will be aware, I have announced that I will not be standing at the forthcoming General Election.

Recent years have been an incredibly difficult time for me personally. While I will not be going into detail about this publicly, I have faced personal challenges that have proven some of the toughest tests of my life. Being an MP has always meant serving others, something I am privileged to have been able to do and have continued to do during this period. A significant reason for this is the help of friends, my Parliamentary team and the medical professionals who have supported me personally throughout, helping me to overcome these pressures and carry on as an MP, a job that I love and have always been wholly committed to.

Nevertheless, I have made mistakes and I am deeply sorry for that.

Being at the centre of a media storm is far from easy. At difficult times like this, the person who gives me comfort is my mum. With my father having passed before I was born and no siblings we have an extremely close bond and I know the sacrifices she made in raising me. Now almost 90, she has been living with dementia and a catalogue of other conditions for several years. Throughout this time, I have been combining my duties as a Member of Parliament with those of a carer.

While this has taken its toll on both of us, we have not been alone, and I am eternally grateful for the phenomenal support we have received from fantastic carers and NHS medical staff. It is their hard work that has kept my mum going through incredibly difficult times. 

Although we do not know when the General Election will be, I can assure you that my dedicated team and I are more determined than ever to deliver for you, the people of Fylde, between now and then. 

Regular readers of my column will know that there are a long list of topics that I am working on and I will continue to do so before handing the baton on. I will continue to fight your corner on constituency-wide concerns like opposing the Morgan & Morecambe Windfarm proposals or tackling flooding, fighting for investment in our town centres, local services, and transport networks. There are also more localised issues like road safety in Elswick, Skew Bridge and Wrea Green; improving bathing water quality in St Annes or delivering a new banking hub for Kirkham. These topics matter to me and I remain determined to go on pursuing a positive outcome.

Moreover, I have always felt that helping individual constituents is the mainstay of an MP’s work and my door remains open to those experiencing issues in their personal lives. I know how difficult it can be to navigate bureaucratic processes and if there is any issue that I may be able to assist with, please be assured that I will continue to do all that I can to do so.   

Much has been achieved in the past 14 years, most notably the M55 Link Road, which I am eagerly looking forward to seeing open this summer. But this is not job done. There are likely still several months until the election, during which I will be doing my utmost to leave Fylde in the best possible position for you, your family, and my successor.

Lastly, I also want to pay tribute to two familiar St Annes faces who have passed away in recent days. Firstly, Selvan Acehan from Barrumba in St Annes, a venue I was delighted to open last year. He was an incredibly welcoming larger than life character who made every visit to Barrumba a pleasure. I am similarly saddened by the passing of Nick Wareing, a man who had a real sense of communal pride and who could often be found out collecting litter in St Annes and Ansdell. Nick was held in high regard by people across Fylde for his approachable nature and commitment to our community. Both will be sorely missed, and I want to pass on my condolences to their family and friends.