Labour MP suspended from parliament over cocaine and prostitutes scandal

Shadow cabinet minister Diane Abbott urges MP to 'consider his position'

‘Mr Vaz has done his best to complicate, obfuscate and confuse the inquiry,’ the committee found (PA)

Labour's Keith Vaz has been suspended from the Commons for six months after MPs endorsed a report him condemning him for "expressing willingness" to buy cocaine during an encounter with male sex workers.

The Commons disciplinary body found the Leicester East MP had caused "significant damage" to the reputation of parliament after a newspaper article alleged he had offered to buy drugs for prostitutes in 2016.

In a damning report, the Standards Committee said his explanation that he may have been given a "spiked" drink and that he was suffering from amnesia was "not believable and, indeed, ludicrous".

MPs approved the report without a vote on Thursday, which included recommendations for a six-month suspension from parliament.

The row centres on claims unearthed by the Sunday Mirror in 2016 that he offered to buy drugs for Romanian sex workers while posing as an industrial washing machine salesman called Jim.

The report was particularly embarrassing for Mr Vaz, as he was serving as the chairman of the Home Affairs Committee at the time.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Commons leader, confirmed he would bring forward the suspension immediately after the election, if he is still in his role, amid fears Mr Vaz would only be banned for two days before parliament dissolves.

Mr Vaz remains a Labour MP, but Diane Abbott, a longtime friend of Mr Vaz, said: "I think he should consider his position."

The shadow home secretary said: "I think he himself should agree not to be a candidate.

"It has been a very sad issue, not just for him but for his family and his children."

Mr Vaz said he had "never bought, possessed, dealt with or used illegal drugs" and claimed he had a heart condition which meant use of non-prescription drugs would put his life at risk.

A statement on his website said the events were "purely personal and private, and occurred in circumstances where neither Mr Vaz’s public nor his parliamentary role were engaged".

"Keith Vaz has been treated for a serious mental health condition for the last three years as a result of the events of 27 August 2016. He has shared all his medical reports in confidence with the Committee," the statement said.

"He has today been admitted to hospital and this office will not be making any further comments."