Keith Vaz loses his job as UK`s Europe minister

Britain's most prominent politician of Asian origin, keith vaz, dogged for months by allegations of financial irregularities, has been replaced as Europe minister, Downing Street said on Monday.
His job will be taken by former energy minister Peter Hain after a reshuffle carried out by Prime Minister Tony Blair following his landslide general election victory on Thursday. Downing Street did not give the reason for shifting Vaz from his post. Blair, who promised when he was first elected in 1997 that his government would be "purer than pure", has been irritated by the persistent shadow over Vaz, the subject of several parliamentary inquiries.

In the past he has strongly defended Vaz, 44, against the allegations, as well as strong criticism of his failure to cooperate with an inquiry by Britain's parliamentary standards watchdog. An initial investigation cleared Vaz, who entered government in 1999, of all but a relatively minor charge, but slammed his refusal to answer questions.

There were then a series of allegations over his links with India's wealthy Hinduja brothers, including a bid by the billionaires for British passports, for which he now faces a second inquiry. During the election campaign, it was also alleged Vaz had misled parliament over the number of homes he owned.

Vaz, who has been suffering ill health since collapsing in March, was released from hospital Monday after being admitted over the weekend with an infection.

Bureau Report