Lord Sewel: Met Police drop drug taking charges against former Labour minister over lack of evidence

The peer resigned from the Lords after footage allegedly showed him taking cocaine with two prostitutes

Lord Sewel speaking in the House of Lords earlier this year (Getty Images)

Lord Sewel will not face charges over allegations of drug taking after the Metropolitan Police said there was “insufficient evidence to proceed” with its investigation.

The scandal-hit peer resigned from the Lords after coming under intense pressure over footage of him allegedly taking cocaine with two prostitutes.

The former Labour minister – the first peer to stand down in disgrace following new rules introduced last year allowing resignations from the upper house –apologised for the “pain and embarrassment” caused by the drugs and sex scandal, which was exposed in The Sun on Sunday.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Following a review of all the material, including a forensic examination of an address in central London, there is insufficient evidence to proceed with this investigation and the matter is now closed.”

The married 69-year-old quit his £84,500-a-year role as deputy speaker of the Lords and chairman of the Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee, then quit Parliament altogether.