LTTE's rally in Londonby Melissa Kite
(December, 23, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Keith Vaz has been dogged by controversy almost from day one of his political career. Once regarded as one of Labour's rising stars, Mr Vaz did indeed begin to scale the ministerial heights - but trouble was never far behind.
A solicitor, Mr Vaz, 51, was elected to parliament in 1987 as MP for Leicester East. He was promoted to the front bench five years later as junior environment spokesman.
(December, 23, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Keith Vaz has been dogged by controversy almost from day one of his political career. Once regarded as one of Labour's rising stars, Mr Vaz did indeed begin to scale the ministerial heights - but trouble was never far behind.
A solicitor, Mr Vaz, 51, was elected to parliament in 1987 as MP for Leicester East. He was promoted to the front bench five years later as junior environment spokesman.
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A long-time advocate for the UK ban on the Tamil Tigers being lifted, he says he has many people in his constituency and chairs the all-party parliamentary group for Tamils. In May, he raised their plight during a Commons debate and disclosed that he had invited the Tigers' chief negotiator to visit parliament "so that we could hear his views on what is happening". __________________________
In 1999, he became the first Asian minister in British history when Tony Blair made him minister for Europe.
Born in Yemen to Goan parents, Mr Vaz was soon describing himself as "a leading member, if not the leading member, of the Asian community in this country".
Lord Irvine, the former Lord Chancellor, called him "the most incredible networker I have ever known". However, the networking came at a price.
He was suspended from the Commons for a month in February 2002 after the standards and privileges committee found that he had committed serious breaches of the MPs' code of conduct by not fully declaring his financial links to the wealthy Hinduja brothers, whose passport applications caused the storm that saw Peter Mandelson resign from government.
Mr Vaz has always been outspoken. In 1989, he accused the Thatcher government of a "conspiracy with muggers and rapists" because it had failed to boost police numbers in Leicester.
A Roman Catholic, he was also active in Muslim protests against Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses and, in 1990, wrote a piece in The Guardian newspaper urging Rushdie not to publish the book in paperback because "there is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech".
Ten years later, the strong pro-European came under fire after threatening to hound Eurosceptics out of the Labour Party.
In one leaked letter, he wrote: "We know who you Eurosceptics are and we're coming to get you in your constituencies."
Mr Vaz resigned from the Government after the 2001 election, citing ill-health.
In July this year, he became chairman of the influential Commons home affairs select committee, which is currently scrutinising anti-terrorism laws.
Friends say he is a dedicated backbencher who works tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and has introduced a number of private member's Bills.
One of Mr Vaz's favourite causes has been the Tamils.
A long-time advocate for the UK ban on the Tamil Tigers being lifted, he says he has many people in his constituency and chairs the all-party parliamentary group for Tamils.
In May, he raised their plight during a Commons debate and disclosed that he had invited the Tigers' chief negotiator to visit parliament "so that we could hear his views on what is happening".
Last night, however, as he became the subject of scrutiny over his attendance at a Tamil rally in London last month, it seemed Mr Vaz's decision to attend the event might come back to bite him.
In 1999, he became the first Asian minister in British history when Tony Blair made him minister for Europe.
Born in Yemen to Goan parents, Mr Vaz was soon describing himself as "a leading member, if not the leading member, of the Asian community in this country".
Lord Irvine, the former Lord Chancellor, called him "the most incredible networker I have ever known". However, the networking came at a price.
He was suspended from the Commons for a month in February 2002 after the standards and privileges committee found that he had committed serious breaches of the MPs' code of conduct by not fully declaring his financial links to the wealthy Hinduja brothers, whose passport applications caused the storm that saw Peter Mandelson resign from government.
Mr Vaz has always been outspoken. In 1989, he accused the Thatcher government of a "conspiracy with muggers and rapists" because it had failed to boost police numbers in Leicester.
A Roman Catholic, he was also active in Muslim protests against Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses and, in 1990, wrote a piece in The Guardian newspaper urging Rushdie not to publish the book in paperback because "there is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech".
Ten years later, the strong pro-European came under fire after threatening to hound Eurosceptics out of the Labour Party.
In one leaked letter, he wrote: "We know who you Eurosceptics are and we're coming to get you in your constituencies."
Mr Vaz resigned from the Government after the 2001 election, citing ill-health.
In July this year, he became chairman of the influential Commons home affairs select committee, which is currently scrutinising anti-terrorism laws.
Friends say he is a dedicated backbencher who works tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and has introduced a number of private member's Bills.
One of Mr Vaz's favourite causes has been the Tamils.
A long-time advocate for the UK ban on the Tamil Tigers being lifted, he says he has many people in his constituency and chairs the all-party parliamentary group for Tamils.
In May, he raised their plight during a Commons debate and disclosed that he had invited the Tigers' chief negotiator to visit parliament "so that we could hear his views on what is happening".
Last night, however, as he became the subject of scrutiny over his attendance at a Tamil rally in London last month, it seemed Mr Vaz's decision to attend the event might come back to bite him.
(Telegraph Group . London)
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