The Met Police is to "assess and identify what criminal offences - if any" have been committed by Keith Vaz following claims over his private life.

The Labour MP resigned as chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee after claims he paid for the services of two male escorts.

The police say no investigation has been launched. Mr Vaz has referred the allegations to his solicitors.

He says he plans to stay as an MP and a member of Labour's national executive.

Mr Vaz, an MP since 1987, stepped down as head of the powerful home affairs committee on Tuesday after 48 hours of allegations about his private life.

At the weekend, the Sunday Mirror published pictures it said showed Mr Vaz with male sex workers in a flat in north London that he owns. Illegal drugs were mentioned during a secretly recorded conversation

'Distraction'

The MP for Leicester East said the media headlines were a distraction from the important work of the committee, which he had led since 2007, and that those who sought to hold others to account must be accountable themselves.

In the wake of the revelations, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen indicated that he would be writing to Scotland Yard calling for Mr Vaz to be investigated for misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to supply controlled substances.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: "Following allegations in the Sunday Mirror on Sunday, 4 September concerning a member of Parliament, the Met Police can confirm a letter was received on Wednesday, 7 September requesting police consider the matter.

"The letter has been forwarded to the Met's special inquiry team, part of Specialist Crime and Operations, to assess and identify what criminal offences - if any - may have been committed. At this stage a police investigation has not been launched."

Mr Vaz was scheduled to host a question and answer session at a health summit in Leicester on Friday but did not attend.

The MP has shunned media interviews since the revelations first broke but is said to have given MPs on the Home Affairs Committee a "very frank" account of what had happened during a private meeting on Tuesday.