Britain's longest-serving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz announced his retirement from the parliament on Sunday, weeks after Commons Standards Committee recommended he should be handed a six-month suspension over cocaine and prostitute scandal.

The 62-year-old was found to have "expressed a willingness" to purchase cocaine for others during an encounter with male prostitutes. Subsequently, he had faced calls to step down, including his own party.

A Labour MP for Leicester East from the past 32 years, Vaz announced his retirement, clearing he will not stand in the next month's General Elections, reported the Independent.

"I have decided to retire after completing 32 years as the Member of Parliament for Leicester East," Vaz said in a statement. "In that time I have won eight general elections. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve my constituency since I came to the city in 1985." "I want to thank the people of Leicester East for their absolute loyalty and support," he added.

Reacting to Vaz's announcement, Labour party leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-presses-election-rival-jeremy-corbyn-to-explain-brexit-stance-260104">Jeremy Corbyn</a> described him as "among the pioneering group of black and Asian Labour MPs elected in 1987."

"Keith has made a substantial and significant contribution to public life, both as a constituency MP for the people of Leicester and for the Asian community across the country. He has helped to pave the way for more BAME people to become involved in politics," Corbyn said.

Vaz's resignation comes after the standards committee found he "caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons".

Britain's longest-serving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz announced his retirement from the parliament on Sunday, weeks after Commons Standards Committee recommended he should be handed a six-month suspension over cocaine and prostitute scandal.

Britain's longest-serving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz announced his retirement from the parliament on Sunday, weeks after Commons Standards Committee recommended he should be handed a six-month suspension over cocaine and prostitute scandal. The 62-year-old was found to have "expressed a willingness" to purchase cocaine for others during an encounter with male prostitutes. Subsequently, he had faced calls to step down, including his own party. A Labour MP for Leicester East from the past 32 years, Vaz announced his retirement, clearing he will not stand in the next month's General Elections, reported the Independent. "I have decided to retire after completing 32 years as the Member of Parliament for Leicester East," Vaz said in a statement. "In that time I have won eight general elections. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve my constituency since I came to the city in 1985." "I want to thank the people of Leicester East for their absolute loyalty and support," he added. Reacting to Vaz's announcement, Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn described him as "among the pioneering group of black and Asian Labour MPs elected in 1987." "Keith has made a substantial and significant contribution to public life, both as a constituency MP for the people of Leicester and for the Asian community across the country. He has helped to pave the way for more BAME people to become involved in politics," Corbyn said. Vaz's resignation comes after the standards committee found he "caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons".

Longest-serving British Indian MP announces retirement

Senior Labour lawmaker Keith Vaz resigned today as the head of a high-profile parliamentary committee, days after the&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;Mirror reported that he was involved in a sex and drugs scandal. 
 
Mirror reported that Vaz, a married father of two, had sought services of male escorts, and also paid them for drugs. He met them at a flat he owns near his family home in North London. 
 
According to a series of text messages published by the Mirror on Sunday, Vaz apparently wanted buy cocaine for a later date, although he made it clear it wasn&#39;t for him.&nbsp; 
 
He also asked a male escort to bring &#39;poppers&#39; with him.&nbsp;Poppers is a term given to drugs used for recreational purposes, sometimes for sexual encounters. 
 
The 59-year-old former Europe minister chairs the home affairs parliamentary committee which conducts probes into immigration, drugs policies and sex workers. Vaz said that he was resigning so that &quot;important work can be conducted without any distractions&quot;. 
 
&quot;Those who hold others to account must themselves be accountable,&quot; Vaz said in a statement, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and distress that has been caused by my actions,&quot; Vaz said in a statement to the Mail&nbsp;on Sunday. 
 
Vaz has yet to tender his formal resignation to Speaker&nbsp;John Bercow.&nbsp;Caroline Flint, the former home office and Europe minister, has told the Guardian she will put her name forward for the soon-to-be vacant position.&nbsp; 
 
Umunna, the former business minister, is one of the favourites for the job, The Guardian reported. 
 
Vaz was first elected to the parliament in 1987 for Leicester East in central England. He&nbsp;is British Parliament&#39;s longest-serving British Asian MP. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The senior Labour lawmaker had sought services of male escorts, and also paid them for drugs

Senior Labour lawmaker Keith Vaz resigned today as the head of a high-profile parliamentary committee, days after the Sunday Mirror reported that he was involved in a sex and drugs scandal. Mirror reported that Vaz, a married father of two, had sought services of male escorts, and also paid them for drugs. He met them at a flat he owns near his family home in North London. According to a series of text messages published by the Mirror on Sunday, Vaz apparently wanted buy cocaine for a later date, although he made it clear it wasn't for him. He also asked a male escort to bring 'poppers' with him. Poppers is a term given to drugs used for recreational purposes, sometimes for sexual encounters. The 59-year-old former Europe minister chairs the home affairs parliamentary committee which conducts probes into immigration, drugs policies and sex workers. Vaz said that he was resigning so that "important work can be conducted without any distractions". "Those who hold others to account must themselves be accountable," Vaz said in a statement, AFP reported. "I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and distress that has been caused by my actions," Vaz said in a statement to the Mail on Sunday. Vaz has yet to tender his formal resignation to Speaker John Bercow. Caroline Flint, the former home office and Europe minister, has told the Guardian she will put her name forward for the soon-to-be vacant position. Umunna, the former business minister, is one of the favourites for the job, The Guardian reported. Vaz was first elected to the parliament in 1987 for Leicester East in central England. He is British Parliament's longest-serving British Asian MP. (WION with inputs from agencies)

British lawmaker Keith Vaz resigns over male prostitute scandal

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Longest-serving British Indian MP announces retirement

British lawmaker Keith Vaz resigns over male prostitute scandal