Parliament Refers Labour’s Keith Vaz to Police 19 Months After Drugs and Prostitution Scandal

A year and seven months after being filmed allegedly buying Class A illegal drugs for male prostitutes, Labour MP and former Minister Keith Vaz has been referred to the police by the Commons ethics watchdog.

Married Mr. Vaz stepped down as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee after the scandal broke in September 2016, but has continued working as an MP, received his £74,000 wage from the taxpayer.

As an MP, and throughout his nine years as committee chairman, he was repeatedly accused of corruption and sex scandals, as well as criticised for backing Islamist calls to ban Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party has failed to investigate him internally, claiming he is too ill, despite Mr. Vaz visiting India and Saudi Arabia, attending meetings, and even alleged being spotted at a music gig.

And police dropped their initial investigation into the Leicester East MP and his alleged drug offences 18 months ago, despite the video evidence.

But, Parliament’s new Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone has now told MPs she is referring the case back to the London’s Metropolitan Police, The Times reports.

The commissioner’s office also stopped an investigation into the MP because of undisclosed medical problems, but resumed it in March.

Rather than the drugs claims, they are investigating if the MP was guilty of a conflict of interest, as the Home Affairs Select Committee was reviewing prostitution laws when he was accused of using prostitutes.

They are also assessing if he caused “significant damage” to the reputation of Parliament.

Andrew Bridgen, the Tory MP for North West Leicestershire, commented Tuesday night: “It appears that the Teflon coating that has historically protected Vaz is now wearing rather thin.”

Mr. Bridgen has been demanded a full investigation into Mr. Vaz, as well as claimed he had amassed unexplained wealth.

In February, citing publicly available information, Mr. Bridgen said that Mr. Vaz “has amassed an eight-home UK property empire valued at over £4m, despite earning a salary of around £90,000”.

He also alleged Mr. Vaz paid for one of his houses with cash, owned more properties in India, sent his children to expensive private schools, and employed a chauffeur, whilst earning less than £100,000.