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A bid to block Keith Vaz from being appointed to the House of Commons Justice Committee failed tonight, after just seven MPs voted against.

Parliament’s sleaze watchdog is investigating Mr Vaz after the Sunday Mirror reported this summer how he paid two male escorts for sex, and offered to help them buy cocaine .

Mr Vaz did not want to take the drug himself.

Last week it emerged he would join the Justice Committee - despite being forced to quit as chairman of the high-profile Home Affairs Committee in the wake of the scandal.

Labour put forward its appointments to the influential committee - but they needed approval from MPs.

Tory Andrew Bridgen objected to the appointment, forcing a Commons vote.

He told MPs Mr Vaz was "unsuitable" for a role on the committee.

He said: "I do not believe the member for Leicester East will do anything to enhance the reputation and perception of Parliament - indeed, it will do the opposite."

His short speech was interrupted four times by Labour MPs, angry that Mr Bridgen was blocking their party’s choices to the committee.

Labour MPs asked "what right" Mr Bridgen had to object to the members his party wanted to put on the committee.

Speaker John Bercow said the move may have broken convention, but it did not break the rules of the house.

Mr Bridgen told MPs he had spoken to the Metropolitan police, who had still not decided what, if any, action to take.

He said: “A potential Police investigation still hangs over the honourable member."

Mr Vaz's appointment to the Justice Committee was approved by 203 votes to seven.