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A Tory MP has been suspended after being accused of using campaign funds to pay off “bad people”.
Mark Menzies, who represents Flyde, is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by people demanding money for his release.
The Fylde MP disputes the allegations reported by The Times, but the Conservative Party has launched an investigation into the claims.
Elsewhere, the police investigation into the sale of Angela Rayner’s former council house continues.
Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of trying to “smear a working-class woman” after the prime minister suggested the Labour leader should spend more time reading his deputy’s tax advice during an exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Key Points
- Tory MP ‘used campaign funds to pay off bad people'
- Mark Menzies suspended as Conservative Party investigates
- Probe into sale of Angela Rayner former council house continues
- Starmer accuses Sunak of trying to ‘smear working-class woman'
‘I just don’t know the answer’: Shapps unable to say if police should investigate Menzies claims
Grant Shapps said “I just don’t know the answer” when asked if police should investigate allegations that one of his colleagues used campaign funds to pay off “bad people” who had locked him in a flat late at night.
The defence secretary said he was not privy to any of the details of Mark Menzie’s case but that a process was in place to establish all the facts and that the Conservative Party was investigating the allegations.
Mr Menzies denies any wrongdoing. Watch part of the interview below:
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:50 1713436909
Watch: Deputy PM delivers speech on economic defences
As we reported earlier, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden is delivering a speech in which he was expected to outline plans to bolster the UK’s ability to deal with “economic security shocks” such as the rise in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He was also expected to announce new curbs on trade and investment with China and other countries with frosty relations with the UK.
You can watch his speech at Chatham House live on our YouTube channel:
Live: Oliver Dowden speaks on economic security at Chatham House
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden delivers a speech on economic security. Watch more on Independent TV: https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/editors-picksLike ...
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:41 1713436536Labour ‘confident’ Rayner has done nothing wrong - Miliband
The Labour Party is “confident” that Angela Rayner has done nothing wrong and will exonerated by the police, Ed Miliband has said.
The shadow energy security and net zero security defended his colleague while promoting Labour’s plans for UK ports.
“She has been clear. She is confident. We are confident, she has done nothing wrong. She has complied with the rules,” Mr Miliband told Sky News.
Watch more of the interview here.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:35 1713435636
MPs hear call for creation of minister to ‘protect and cherish’ flags
MPs have heard a call for the creation of a ministerial post to oversee use of national symbols as well as introducing legislation to protect the “cherished national flag”.
Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell (Romford) said people were “quite angered” by attempts to alter the appearance of flags.
In the Commons on Thursday, Mr Rosindell said: “I think many people will be quite angered by the way certain national organisations have tried to change our national flags – the cross of St George and the Union Jack.
“Isn’t it time that we protected and cherished our national symbols by appointing a minister of the crown to oversee this from the Cabinet Office. And will he also look at the Union Flag Bill of 2008 which enshrines in legislation the protection of our cherished national flag?”
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:20 1713435036Starmer to set out plans for ‘historic’ £1.8bn investment in Britain’s ports
Labour plans to kick-start a “historic investment” in Britain’s ports as part of its green spending plans.
The party has already committed to spending £1.8 billion over five years on upgrading the UK’s port infrastructure if it wins the next election as part of its flagship Green Prosperity Plan.
On a visit to the North East of England on Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say the money will lead to the most significant upgrade of Britain’s ports in a generation and billions more pouring into the UK’s energy industry from the private sector.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:10 1713434136
Cut foreign aid budget to boost defence spending - Jenrick
Future Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has suggested the foreign aid budget should be cut to fund a boost in defence spending.
The former immigration minister told The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballots podcast that a third of the foreign aid budget should be immediately diverted to bolster Britain’s defences.
He said: “To govern is to choose and if you’re faced with a difficult choice, I think protecting our national security and investing in defence is more important today than our international aid budget.”
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 10:55 1713433236
Mark Menzies ‘quite troubled’, Shapps suggests
Suspended MP Mark Menzies is potentially someone who is “quite troubled,” Grant Shapps has suggested.
The defence secretary was speaking after it was reported that Mr Menzies allegedly used campaign funds to pay off “bad people” after being locked in a flat late at night.
“It sounds to me that there is potentially somebody who’s quite troubled in the mix here,” he told Times Radio.
Watch the clip below:
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 10:40 1713432352Labour ahead on all major political issues - poll
Labour leads the Conservatives on every major political issue, according to new poll revealing the scale of the challenge facing Rishi Sunak at the general election.
A poll by Tory peer Lord Ashcroft for the Daily Mail found the Tories trailing Labour on the cost of living, NHS and social care and immigration and asylum and other areas traditionally seen as Conservative strengths, such as crime and national security.
Some 34 per cent of voters said Sir Keir Starmer would make the best prime minister, against 19 per cent for Rishi Sunak.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 10:25 1713431136UK must bolster economic defences, deputy PM to warn
Britain needs to boost its economic defences to counter the “security risks” of globalisation, the deputy prime minister is set to warn.
In a speech on Thursday, Oliver Dowden is expected to set out plans to bolster the UK’s ability to deal with “economic security shocks” such as the rise in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He was expected to announce new curbs on trade and investment with China and other countries with frosty relations with the UK.
Full report:
UK must bolster economic defences, Deputy PM to warn
Oliver Dowden is expected to set out plans to improve the UK’s ability to handle shocks to its economic security.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 10:05 1713430326Rayner will claim kitchen renovation meant no capital gains tax was due on sale of house - report
Angela Rayner will reportedly claim that she was not required to pay capital gains when she sold her former council house because the tax was offset with a kitchen renovation.
The Times reports Labour’s deputy will say that the property revamp meant that there was no tax to pay.
Greater Manchester Police has launched an investigation into the saga and is said to be looking at multiple allegations.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 09:52 Newer1 / 2OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
