This is a story about more than just a jam dropper. It’s a story so shocking you have to pick yourself up from the floor.

Mark Menzies MP last December It is said that the call was made at 3.15am. An elderly party volunteer is demanding £5,000 on “life or death” grounds because he is being held captive by “bad guys”.

To secure his release, the money was paid by his office manager from her personal account and repaid from funds raised by donors, According to the Times. The newspaper also claimed that Mr Menzies received thousands of pounds from campaign funds deposited into his personal bank account, which were used for personal medical expenses.

Latest politics: Sunak’s big question

👉Click here to get Electoral Dysfunction on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Let me say from the outset that Mr Menzies, MP for Fylde in Lancashire, “strongly disagrees” with these claims.

He said in a statement to The Times: “I strongly dispute the allegations made against me. I have fully complied with all statement rules. As the investigation is ongoing, I will not comment further.”

But when the story came to light, Conservative Chief Whip Simon Hart suspended Menzies from his role in the parliamentary party pending the outcome of the investigation.

This is a huge story. Not just because of the shocking, appalling, jaw-dropping nature of the allegations – take your pick – but also because of the questions it raises: if this happened more than three months ago, why are the Conservatives just now suspending the electoral whip? ? Is there any misuse of funds? What impact will this have? Can Mr Menzies really remain an MP?

How damaging would this be for the Conservatives, who have been hounding Angela Rayner for weeks over accusations she avoided paying capital gains tax when she sold the council house a decade ago, which she denies, at the time The accusations surround their own members of Congress. In the background?

“I’d be surprised if he lasted a week”

First, Conservative peer Ruth Davidson argued that given the Conservatives’ 16,000 majority, Mr Menzies would have no choice but to resign and trigger a by-election in another danger zone seat – Labor and The Lib Dems have repeatedly overturned this lead at elections. The latest by-election.

Ruth Davidson described this week’s reports of electoral impediments as “jaw-dropping” and believed Mr Menzies would have to resign, saying she would I would be “surprised” if he lasted a week.

She added: “The Conservatives were said to have been informed of this three months ago and this is the first we have heard of it.

“From reading the story it looks very much like the woman told her local association, raised the red flag and then told the council authorities.

“The chief whip then told CCHQ, the Conservative Party headquarters. Nothing happened and she is now quoted in the newspapers.

“So, I mean, the local associations seem outraged by the way this councilor has treated them. So, you know, I think it’s a very difficult issue and I find it hard to believe that an investigation can be carried out and that it can be done in a timely manner Clear his name so he can contest the general election.

“In fact, I would be surprised if he could get through a week here and not resign.”

Jesse Phillips agreed, telling us he had “no choice but to resign and force a by-election”.

For obvious reasons, this will be something the party and Rishi Sunak want to avoid, as the Conservatives have already been hammered by three by-elections this year and are expected to lose Blackpool South next month district.

Half of the top ten by-election swings in Labour’s history have occurred in the past 18 months.

Mr Sunak won’t need any more record breakers if he can help this election year.

“I don’t think Mark Menzies wants to leave now. But I also don’t think the Conservatives want a by-election so close to a general election,” Ruth explained.

“Yes, they have a 16,000 majority, but if they lose their majority it will get worse.

“However, if this seat was only offered as part of a general election, it might not be at the top of Labour’s target seats.

“So if he stays there, they’ll probably keep the seat. Even the Independents, the Conservatives have a good chance of keeping the general seat. If there’s a by-election, all bets are off.”

“It feels like the days are over.”

Whatever happens next, I have no doubt his story will continue to hit the headlines and give the Prime Minister another headache ahead of the local elections on May 2, but he won’t need to as he has made some progress on the proposed smoking ban progress, and the flagship Rwanda Act.

Ruth likened the series of scandals to the days of John Major, when his government was rocked by a series of disgraceful revelations, from Neil Hamilton’s cash-for-questions scandal to stories of extramarital affairs.

She said: “I think in terms of the mood in the Conservative Party, every time we start to take the initiative on something, something comes knocking us down.

“And the number of scandals happening right now.

“It feels a bit apocalyptic. It feels like the Parliament from 1992 to 1997.

“You can see the party splitting up before your eyes, and yeah, I mean, you’re probably going to keep going, but you’re also going to have Lizzie Truss reminding everyone of her presence during the week, you know “This is not a good week for the Conservative Party.”

electoral dysfunction

Hear Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson unravel the mystery in Sky News’ new weekly podcast

Click here to follow

Jesse also thinks there is a bit of schadenfreude in all this, given the enthusiasm of the Conservative Party on issues relating to Angela Rayner before she became MP.

She said: “The Conservatives are literally salivating over Angela Rayner’s sale of a council house where her mixed-race family lived nine years ago… There’s no reason why she shouldn’t have to answer these questions.

“But when you put it in the context of this… it’s kind of like, in an old-fashioned way, a Looney Tunes cartoon where someone sets a very, very complicated trap and then the anvil falls over their heads.

“It does feel like the Conservatives are making a mistake here. And obviously going after Angela Renner in this way is always going to bite them in the butt.”

From developments surrounding the story around Mr Menzies to Liz Truss’s hype for her new book, Ten Tears That Saved the West, there’s plenty to think about this week.

Think of Mr Sunak – he made progress on the smoking ban and worked to ease tensions in the Middle East, only to be sidelined by political firestorms again.