Mark Menzies: Who is the Tory MP who has been suspended? Scottish roots, education, political history

Mark Menzies, the suspended Tory MP, grew up in Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast

MP Mark Menzies has lost the Conservative whip while the party investigates claims he misused campaign funds.

The 52-year-old 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 “bad people” demanding money for his release.

But who is Mr Menzies and how did climb through Conservative party ranks?

Fylde MP Mark Menzies in St Annes speaking to a resident. Picture: NationalWorld

Who is Mark Menzies? Where was he educated?

Mr Menzies was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and grew up in Ardrossan where he spent much of his childhood. His Merchant Navy father died a month before he was born, with Mr Menzies raised by his mother.

Mr Menzies entered private education through the help of the Assisted Places Scheme, and attended independent secondary, the Keil School, in Dumbarton, which was ultimately closed in 2000.

He would go on to study at the University of Glasgow, where he was President of the Conservative Association in 1994, before later graduating with an honours degree in economic and social history.

Before going into politics, Mr Menzies joined retailer Marks & Spencer as a graduate trainee in 1994, and forged his early career working in marketing for two large UK supermarkets.

How did Mark Menzies get into politics?

The political career of Mr Menzies started out in Scotland. He stood as the Conservative candidate for the safe Labour seat of Glasgow Govan in the 2001 general election, ultimately winning 2,167 votes to finish fourth behind Mohammed Sarwar.

Mr Menzies more narrowly missed out on a seat during the 2005 general election, where he stood in Selby in Yorkshire. A Labour marginal seat, Mr Menzies finished second, losing by less than 500 votes.

On the back of the result, he was added to David Cameron's ‘A-List’ in 2006 – a measure that was aimed at broadening the number of Tory MPs, potential peers and MEPs who were either women or hailed from minority backgrounds.

Mr Menzies was subsequently selected to stand for Fylde in Lancashire in November 2008. He went on to win the seat at the 2010 general election, succeeding Michael Jack and retaining the seat for the Conservatives with 52 per cent of the vote and a 13,185 majority.

Mr Menzies served as a member of the Scottish affairs select committee from a period in 2010 ahead of his appointment as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS).

He held that role until March 2014 when Mr Menzies resigned as the PPS to Alan Duncan, who was the-then international development minister, after a report in the Sunday Mirror claimed the MP had paid a Brazilian male escort for sex. Mr Menzies said at the time a number of the claims were “untrue”.

Mr Menzies, who was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 EU membership referendum, was elected for a fourth time at the December 2019 general election. He won an increased vote share and an increased majority, polling 60.9 per cent of the vote (28,432 votes) for a majority of 16,611.

Mr Menzies has also sat on the international development select, the House of Commons finance, and the transport select committees.