Tory peer Ruth Davidson doesn’t think Mark Menzies will survive the week as an MP.

Former Tory MP for Fylde, Lancashire, under investigation by his party The Times report He misused campaign funds.

Mr Menzies disputes the allegations, but conservative party It said it was taking them “seriously” and “concerns raised with them will always be investigated”.

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Reports say Mr Menzies called a 78-year-old former staff member at 3.15am in December last year to say he was locked in his flat by “bad guys” and needed £5,000 as a “life or death” matter.

The newspaper said the amount, which rose to £6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and later repaid from funds raised from donors in an account called the Fylde Westminster Group.

Chatting with Beth Rigby electoral dysfunction In the podcast, Ruth, who led the Scottish Conservatives for almost a decade, predicted Mr Menzies would resign.

She said: “The Conservatives were said to have been informed of this three months ago and this is the first we’ve 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.”

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Menzies 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.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party is investigating an allegation made against an MP. This process is supposed to be confidential.”

“The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any concerns raised with them.”

Mr Menzies has resigned as the government’s trade envoy and was sacked late on Wednesday.

Losing the whip means Mr Menzies will no longer be a Conservative parliamentary member and will sit in the House of Commons as an independent rather than a Conservative MP.

The party’s chief whip Simon Hart is said to have been aware of the claims in January, when the former campaign manager reported what had happened.

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According to Sky News, Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) has been investigating since the allegations were first made, but more information came to light yesterday and Mr Hart took immediate action.

A spokesman for the chief whip said: “Following a call with the chief whip, Mark Menzies has agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip pending the outcome of the investigation.”