Keith Vaz will not face charges over rent boy scandal as police close investigation
The Metropolitan Police has closed an inquiry to “evaluate” whether Labour MP Keith Vaz broke any laws without bringing charges, after a tabloid reported he had sex with male prostitutes.
Married MP Mr Vaz, who held one of the most powerful backbench roles in Parliament, was outed by a Sunday Mirror sting in September.
The newspaper alleged that the Labour politician had sex with two male sex workers and offered to reimburse them if they bought cocaine – though he made clear he did not want any. He also asked them to bring poppers, which are legal, for their sexual uses/
There was no suggestion in the story that Mr Vaz, who has since quit as the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, broke any law – but after a Tory MP demanded a probe, the Metropolitan Police said it would look at which laws “if any” had been broken.
The probe was closed this week with no charges filed against Mr Vaz, who remains an MP and now sits as a member of the Justice Select Committee.
A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: “Following allegations in the Sunday Mirror on Sunday, 4 September concerning a Member of Parliament, the Metropolitan Police Service received a letter on Wednesday, 7 September requesting police consider the matter.
“The letter was forwarded to the Special Enquiry Team, part of Specialist Crime and Operations, who started an assessment process to identify what criminal offences – if any – may have been committed. Following that assessment, which included obtaining early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, the MPS started an investigation in November.
“During the investigation new information was received and additional advice obtained from the CPS, following which the MPS has made the decision to close the investigation with no person being charged.”
Parts of the press have responded to the initial sting with bearly-concealed homophobia.
Daily Mail columnist Quentin Letts branded Mr Vaz ‘camp’ and ‘flamboyant’ in an article which mocked him as “a cut-price Lady Bracknell”.
Meanwhile, the right-wing blog Guido Fawkes branded Mr Vaz a “nonce” in a cartoon which showed him watching “Strictly Come Noncing”.
