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Chuka Umunna will stand in the election to replace Keith Vaz as chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, it was reported today.

Mr Vaz quit his job in charge of the influential panel of MPs yesterday , after the Sunday Mirror revealed he'd paid escorts for sex.

Mr Umunna was widely expected to stand as his replacement, and the New Statesman reported this morning he had confirmed his candidacy.

(Image: Getty)

Tory MP Tim Loughton has taken over as acting chair of the committee, leading his first meeting yesterday afternoon.

Mr Loughton said yesterday: "Keith Vaz came to the meeting of the select committee. He gave a very frank account of what had happened and he told us of his intention to resign as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

“He has issued a statement and he is writing to the speaker of the House of Commons to signal his resignation and in due course an election will be held for a new Labour member to take over as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

“In the interim the committee has nominated me to be the acting chair for the next few weeks until that election takes place."

Mr Umunna said yesterday it was "too soon" to say whether he intended to stand as Mr Vaz's replacement.

Because of rules governing allocation of committee chairmanships, the next chair must be a Labour MP.

All MPs will get a vote in the election.