A senior British lawmaker resigned from his position as head of an influential parliamentary committee on Tuesday after becoming embroiled in a scandal involving drugs and male prostitutes. Keith Vaz from the opposition Labour Party, a married father of two and one of the first British Asian ministers, was recorded paying two escorts for their services, according to a report in the Sunday Mirror.
"Those who hold others to account must themselves be accountable," Vaz said in a statement. He said he was stepping down to allow the committee's "important work" to be carried out "without any distractions whatsoever". "I am genuinely sorry that recent events make it impossible for this to happen if I remain chair," he said. Vaz, a 59-year-old former Europe minister under ex-premier Tony Blair, chairs a powerful home affairs parliamentary committee which conducts probes into immigration, drugs policies and sex workers.
The story, recounted in lurid detail typical of Britain's aggressive tabloid press, has provoked a debate about whether the newspaper intruded unfairly into Vaz's private life. The Sunday Mirror has justified its reporting on the basis that there is a public interest in exposing Vaz given his role in scrutinising legislation on sex workers and drugs. In a statement to the Mail on Sunday, Vaz attacked the journalists while adding: "I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and distress that has been caused by my actions."