Keith Vaz resigns as chairman of Home Affairs Select Committee following male escorts scandal
Labour MP Keith Vaz has resigned as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee just days after becoming embroiled in a male escorts scandal.
In a statement, he said: "I told the Committee today of my decision to stand aside immediately from Committee business, and my intention to resign."
Mr Vaz said the Committee's work should "be conducted without any distractions whatsoever", and "those who hold others to account, must themselves be accountable."
"This is my decision, and mine alone, and my first consideration has been the effect of recent events on my family", he added.
Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who now steps up as acting chair, said Mr Vaz intends to officially tender his resignation to the Speaker of the House of Commons on Wednesday.
In a public show of defiance, the Labour MP appeared in the House of Commons chamber on Monday amid reports he could face a vote of no confidence from his fellow MPs if he refused to step aside voluntarily.
Prime Minister Theresa May added pressure when she said that voters must have confidence in their politicians.
On a visit to the G20 summit in China, Mrs May said: "What Keith does is for Keith and any decisions he wishes to make are for him."
In a Committee statement, Mr Loughton said: "Keith Vaz gave a very frank account of what had happened and he told us of his intention to resign as chairman".
He added: "With sadness we all accepted that that was the appropriate course of action that he has taken".
When asked whether he was a potential replacement for Mr Vaz, Labour MP Chuka Umunna said it was not an appropriate time to comment.
An election for a new Labour leader of the committee will held in due course.
Mr Vaz, a married father-of-two, is facing a possible investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after the male escort story appeared in the Sunday Mirror.
The newspaper claims Mr Vaz met two male prostitutes for sex in a property he owned less than a mile from his family home.
He is also alleged to have asked pay for the Class A drug cocaine - although he said this was not for himself.
Mr Vaz indicated he will stand aside as chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee during a meeting on Monday.
It came after he publicly apologised to his wife and children for the "hurt and distress" he caused them.
Keith Vaz statement in full