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Shamed MP Keith Vaz faces the longest Commons suspension of all time after he met two prostitutes while chair of the Home Affairs committee.

A damning report says the Labour grandee must face a six-month suspension from Parliament more than three years after the scandal was exposed by the Sunday Mirror.

The Commons Standards Committee said the 62-year-old showed "disregard for the law" by "expressing willingness" to buy cocaine in a rendezvous with two sex workers who he told: "We need to get this party started".

MPs ruled his behaviour was a "very serious breach" of the Code of Conduct - which says members must not "damage the reputation and integrity of the Commons".

The Committee dismissed his "ludicrous" claims of "amnesia" as it savaged him for "failing repeatedly to answer questions". And MPs dismissed his claim a transcript and recording were unreliable after a forensic analysis.

If agreed by MPs, today's ban will trigger a recall petition against the shamed MP - which would allow voters to force a by-election booting him out of office.

The Committee also took the unprecedented step of demanding Mr Vaz is barred from a "former MP" pass that would let him roam Parliament at will if he stands down.

The MP described himself to the two men as a washing machine salesman named Jim. Yet he told an investigation that "the purpose of his encounter with the two men was not to engage in paid-for sex, but to discuss the interior decoration of his flat".

In a statement Mr Vaz's office said: "Keith Vaz has been treated for a serious mental-health condition for the last three years as a result of the events of 27th August 2016.

(Image: Sunday Mirror)

"He has shared all the medical reports in confidence with the Committee.

"He has nothing further to say on this matter other than what was said in his oral and written statements to the Committee and to the Commissioner."

The report confirmed that the Metropolitan Police decided not to proceed with a case against Mr Vaz, despite two referrals.

The case was reported to the House of Commons authorities three years ago – and the case has stretched over the tenures of two different Standards Commissioners.

The inquiry was repeatedly delayed by the two police referrals, which did not lead to a prosecution, the 2017 election and Mr Vaz’s “ill health”, MPs said.

MPs took the rare decision to redact “sensitive” information from the MP’s doctors about the detailed nature of his “ongoing” poor health.

While accepting Mr Vaz's health has still not fully recovered, today's report is scathing.

It said "it is more likely than not that Mr Vaz has engaged in paid sexual activity", adding: "We are satisfied from the evidence we have considered that Mr Vaz did on 27 August 2016 offer to procure and pay for illegal drugs for use by a third party."

The report added: "He has not 'co-operated at all stages' with the investigation process.

"He has failed, repeatedly, to answer direct questions; he has given incomplete answers and his account has, in parts, been incredible.

"I do not believe he has given me or my predecessor a full and accurate account of the relevant events."

(Image: Getty)

According to the report Mr Vaz offered a number of alternative and contradictory suggestions on what happened.

He suggested variously that the men were invited over to discuss redesigning his flat, that they were sent to entrap him, that he developed amnesia after his drink was spiked, that the recording of the event was doctored, and that no sexual activity took place.

The report said: "It is difficult, to put it mildly, to see how all these separate defences could simultaneously be true."

The report rejected claims the Sunday Mirror had "entrapped" Mr Vaz. It said: "Mr Vaz has not produced cogent or convincing evidence to show that they coerced or induced him to behave in a way that was out of character or inconsistent with previous conduct. It is almost certainly true that the conversation was being “steered” by the two men, but there is no evidence to suggest that Mr Vaz was being steered in directions he was unwilling to go."

It concluded that he breached section 16 of the 2015 House of Commons Code of Conduct, which states that: "Members shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its Members generally".

The reports said of Mr Vaz's behaviour: "This is a very serious breach of the Code.

"We recommend that the House should suspend Mr Vaz from its service for six months."

(Image: Sunday Mirror)

The report did, however, reject claims that Mr Vaz should have recused himself from the work of the Home Affairs Select Committee on psychoactive drugs or prostitution.

In a damning indictment of Mr Vaz's testimony, the report brands his version of events - that they he had invited them to discuss renovations to his flat - was "ludicrous".

It adds: "We find the evidence to be compelling that Mr Vaz was previously acquainted with the men, that he had paid them money to engage in sexual activity with him, that he had paid money to procure the attendance of a third man also to engage in sexual activity, and that at the conclusion of the encounter (when those present had finally accepted that the third man was not going to arrive) he did engage in sexual activity for which he had paid.

"Mr Vaz’s claims as to the purpose of the encounter are, frankly, ludicrous."

If agreed Keith Vaz's 6-month suspension will be the longest since records began in 1949.

The previous longest is 30 sitting days for DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr last year. The committee did recommend 12 months for ex-Labour MP Denis MacShane but he resigned before it could be agreed.

In 2016 August Leicester East MP Mr Vaz sent a series of texts in which he jokingly called himself one of the men’s “pimp” and “bank manager”.

Mr Vaz tried to hide his real identity from the two men telling them he was a washing machine salesman named Jim.

He blurted out the pseudonym at the point when it appeared that he was about to engage in sexual activity with two Eastern European escorts.

Describing Jim's role Mr Vaz said: “These are industrial washing machines, that I sell. Industrial. For big – for hotels.”

Mr Vaz paid the escorts in cash and urged them to bring poppers to the flat and had at least two meetings with the escorts.

In a 90-minute rendezvous in August 2016, the former Minister for Europe offered to cover the cost of cocaine if it was brought to the flat – but said he did not want any himself and included a discussion about using the party drug known as Poppers.