'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.”