The former Europe minister, Keith Vaz, was yesterday suspended from the House of Commons.

In a statement to the house, Vaz said: "I believe I have co-operated in every possible way and have sought legal and other advice through this process to ensure that I have done so."

However, the chairman of the standards and privileges committee, Sir George Young disagreed.

"His strategy appears to have been to throw mud at the commissioner in the hope that some would stick on the committee," he said.