Portrait of an MP who says he’s too ill to be investigated over party with male escorts
Labour veteran is fit enough to travel the world and cut ribbons
FOR an MP claiming to be too ill to attend a parliamentary inquiry, Keith Vaz has been a busy man.
The investigation into the Labour veteran’s involvement with Romanian male prostitutes was suspended in December ‘for medical reasons’.
But it appears that, despite his health problems, Mr Vaz, 61, has since been able to take part in a number of engagements – including travelling nearly 5,000 miles to India, and taking a trip to Saudi Arabia.
The Leicester East MP has opened a new swimming pool in the city, attended planning meetings and met a housing developer, while he was even allegedly spotted at a music gig. Now the parlia- mentary standards watchdog is facing calls to reopen its inquiry into Mr Vaz.
North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen, who instigated the original complaint in September 2016, said Mr Vaz appeared in ‘fine fettle’.
Tory Mr Bridgen said his office had compiled a dossier on Mr Vaz’s appearances that it would be passing to the standards commissioner.
Married Mr Vaz, who has two children, apologised to his family and quit as chairman of the Commons home affairs committee in 2016 after his involvement with male prostitutes was revealed.
He also discussed class-A drugs, with undercover film footage obtained by the Sunday Mirror showing him telling one of the rent boys he would pay for cocaine, but did not want to take it himself.
And text messages allegedly showed him asking the escorts to bring poppers – sex- enhancing drugs – with them to the North London
Grand opening: Keith Vaz cuts the ribbon at a swimming pool last Saturday flat he owns. In December posted a picture of himself in unfit to be held to the standards 2016, Scotland Yard dropped Goa, India. of an MP then he’s not fit an investigation into Mr Vaz Just last Saturday he was to be an MP. The parliamentary over the allegations. photographed cutting a ribbon standards watchdog says
A separate probe by the at the Cossington Street she has independent medical Commons sleaze watchdog Pool in Belgrave, Leicester. advice to say that he cannot was due to look at whether In the Commons, Mr Vaz has face questions. But he looks Mr Vaz was guilty of a conflict tabled a number of written surprisingly well to me.’ of interest as he had been questions, including on energy The standards commissioner’s leading a review of vice laws drinks and school meals. And office said: ‘When she has at the time of the allegations. on January 10 he was photographed fresh independent medical
It was also examining alongside Labour advice, the commissioner will whether the former Europe leader Jeremy Corbyn. review it.’ Mr Vaz’s office did minister had caused ‘significant Mr Bridgen said: ‘He is supposedly not respond to request for a damage’ to Parliament’s unfit to answer questions comment. reputation. But in December, about his conduct in In March 2001, when Mr Vaz then-standards commissioner relation to rent boys and faced another conduct inquiry, Kathryn Hudson cited medical cocaine, but he appears to be he went on extended sick reasons when she suspended out and about in Leicester leave after collapsing during a the investigation. and elsewhere. He is the most TV interview. He later quit as
That month, Mr Vaz reportedly healthy-looking “ill” person Tony Blair’s Europe minister went on a trip Saudi Arabia, I’ve ever seen. but was cleared of failing to while last month he ‘At the end of the day if he’s declare cash to watchdogs.
‘Looks surprisingly well to me’