Tom Watson is set to face calls to quit as Labour’s deputy leader in the wake of a damning report into the catastrophic police inquiry into a Westminster paedophile ring.

Mr Watson has attempted to minimise his contacts with Carl Beech, a fantasist now serving 18 years in jail for perverting the course of justice, fraud and paedophile offences.

But a report written by Sir Richard Henriques, a retired High Court judge, will suggest that police were heavily influenced by Mr Watson’s pursuit of historic sex abuse allegations.

The Henriques report is understood to express concern that police may have felt under pressure as a result of Mr Watson’s links to Beech.

The 150-page report is due to be published within a fortnight - although victims of Beech’s lies fear the Metropolitan Police may try to slip it out on a day dominated by Brexit, in order to minimise its impact.

The report will be devastating for Scotland Yard and raise serious questions over its senior officers who were in charge at the time.