INFAMOUS former MP Keith Vaz was not been given the boot from the Labour Party – he was given a branch.
The former Labour MP for Leicester East was expected to face criminal charges or at the very least to be permanantly banned from the Labour Party following the leaking of an infamous video showing the politician offering a male prostitute cocaine.
Allegations about Vaz were published by the Sunday Mirror in early September 2016, along with embarrassing video footage and imagery. It was reported that he had engaged in unprotected sexual activity with male prostitutes and had told them he would pay for cocaine, attempting to conceal his identity by telling them his name was Jim and that he was an industrial washing machine salesman.
Vaz later apologised for his actions and resigned as chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee in September of the same year.
Bizarrely, by the end of the following month, Vaz was appointed to the Justice Select Committee, after he had put himself forward and was nominated by his party.
A House of Commons motion to block this development was defeated, with Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen asking in the chamber; “If the right honourable member for Leicester East found himself last month to be not fit to be chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee and the matters are unresolved, what makes him think that he is a fit and proper person this month?”
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Hudson, announced an investigation into Vaz’s conduct, yet this was halted “for medical reasons” in December of the following year, recommencing in March 2018.
Ultimately, the inquiry recommended that Keith Vaz be suspended from Parliament for just six months, despite promoting illegal drug use.
The inquiry report confirmed that, in her memorandum, the Commissioner had concluded “… it is more likely than not that Mr Vaz has engaged in paid sexual activity” and there was “evidence of Mr Vaz’s apparent willingness to purchase controlled drugs for others to use”.
The Commissioner’s memorandum also concluded Vaz “shows disregard for the law and that, in turn, is disrespectful to the House and fellow Members, who collectively are responsible for making those laws. Mr Vaz’s conduct has also been disrespectful of the House’s system of standards. He has not “co-operated at all stages” with the investigation process. He has failed, repeatedly, to answer direct questions; he has given incomplete answers and his account has, in parts, been incredible”.
In October 2019, MPs voted in favour of the suspension, and Vaz later announced he would not be running in the December General Election.
Vaz has had his conduct brought into question throughout his political career – being mentioned in the expenses scandal, having undeclared conflicts of interest, and being suspended from parliament in 2002 after making false allegations against a retired policewoman.
Instead of being punished, however, ‘Kinky Keith’ now looks to be making a comeback in politics, with the running of his local influential Labour branch considered to be just the first step.
John Thomas, the former chair of Leicester East Labour party and an ally of Vaz, said Vaz had stood because the local party was failing to function. “The local party is in absolute chaos. Some people have demanded that Keith get involved,” he said.
There was disquiet among some members because the constituency’s new MP, Claudia Webbe, was leftwing, he said. “The new MP is a Corbyn supporter but the party in Leicester is much more to the right. Keith knows the people here.”
One Vaz opponent said it was widely rumoured that the former MP would like to stand again at the next election, and his position as chair would give him a platform for this. “He wants to get back to Westminster. That is the rumour and now he is perfectly positioned,” the source said.
