How he was finally brought down

Keith Vaz was finally undone by his apparent attempt to intimidate a key witness in Elizabeth Filkin's inquiry.

He complained to the police that Eileen Eggington, a retired Special Branch officer, had harassed his ill mother, Merlyn Vaz, in a phone call to her home last October.

Police interviewed Ms Eggington and her friend Rita Gresty, an ex-employee of Mr Vaz's wife who had made a range of allegations to Ms Filkin.

However, they found no proof that the phone call had ever been made. The mystery deepened when 72-year-old Mrs Vaz went into hospital and was unable to give evidence.

Today's report said: "Mr Vaz recklessly made a damaging allegation against Miss Eggington which was not true."