Tory MP Mark Menzies was forced to resign as a ministerial aide last night following allegations that he paid for sex and drugs from a teenage Brazilian rent boy.
Rogerio Santos, 19, made the allegations to today’s Sunday Mirror newspaper, claiming that Mr Menzies, 42, paid for his services before giving him a tour of parliament. He says the MP then asked him to supply him with methedrone, which has been illegal in the UK since 2010.
Following the revelations, Mr Menzies resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department for International Development last night, simply saying: “I have decided to resign as a PPS after a series of allegations were made against me in a Sunday newspaper.”
Rogerio Santos also claims that he was in the country illegally at the time Mr Menzies solicited sex from him, having overstayed his student visa, but it is understood that the MP was unaware of this at the time.
The Sunday Mirror reports that Mr Menzies had often asked questions in the Commons about the rehabilitation of drug offenders, yet texts on Santos’ phone show he repeatedly asked the teenager about the quality of his methedrone and how much it cost.
Photos on Mr Santos’ phone also show the MP next to a plate of white powder. Describing the photo, Santos said: “There is a plate of methedrone. He asked me if I could buy methedrone. He have many drugs, a lot of drugs.”
Although Mr Menzies is a Catholic, he holds liberal social views that conflict with Church teaching. Speaking in favour of gay marriage last year, he said: “I am a Catholic and religious freedoms are very important to me, as is my religion, but so too are equality and tolerance.”
Upon resigning last night, Mr Menzies commented: “A number of these allegations are not true and I look forward to setting the record straight in due course.”
He will continue to represent the seat of Fylde in the House of Commons.