Former Leicester MP to run for seat he held for 32 years
Keith Vaz will be running for the City's newest party, One Leicester
Last updated 7th Jun 2024
Former Leicester East MP Keith Vaz is running for his old seat in the General Election. Mr Vaz today announced his candidacy for the seat, challenging his successor Claudia Webbe.
Mr Vaz, who served as a Leicester Labour MP for 32 years, retired from Parliament after offering to get drugs for prostitutes. It was recommended by other MPs on the Commons Standards Committee that he be suspended from the Commons for six months because his scandal had caused “significant damage” to the reputation of the House of Commons.
He will be running on behalf of the city’s newest party, One Leicester. The party was set up by former assistant mayor Rita Patel after she was suspended from Labour along with three other councillors over their attempt to scrap the mayor’s office through a vote at a council meeting. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby won the vote and shortly after secured his fourth term in the role when the city went to the polls last May.
Declaring his intention to run, Mr Vaz said: “It was the greatest privilege of my life to serve as MP for Leicester East for over three decades. I absolutely love Leicester. Today, I am shocked with what I see. Despite so many opportunities, Leicester is unrecognisable, and on the edge of bankruptcy."
Ms Patel added: “... Keith has been, and still is, a strong advocate for Leicester for over 35 years."
Also vying for the seat are Rajesh Agrawal for Labour , Zuffar Haq for the Liberal Democrats , Mags Lewis for the Green Party , Shivani Raja for the Conservatives and Raj Solanki for Reform UK and Claudia Webbe as an Independent .
Find out more information on the other candidates for Leicester East here.