London riots report by year-end: Keith Vaz
August 18th, 2011 - 11:02 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) Describing the London riots as an act of criminality, Keith Vaz, Britain’s longest serving MP of Indian origin and head of parliament’s inquiry committee into the riots, said the panel will present its report by the end of the year.
“It was shocking criminality,” Vaz, a Labour MP and the chairman of the influential Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, told reporters here.
He rejected speculation about the riots as an act of class warfare.
There were people from different backgrounds who indulged in rioting and looting, he said when asked whether the riots were a response to the sharpening inequality in British society. “We will find out the reasons,” he said.
Vaz, however, added that London was back to being normal after the four-day riots that shook the city. “It’s safe, it’s a great city. Please come to London,” he said.
Born to Goan parents, Vaz is serving his sixth term in parliament by six times.
Vaz, Britain’s minister to Europe during the Tony Blair regime, is currently chairing the Home Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the recent riots in London and other cities and into phone hacking. The parliamentary committee looks into issues relating to policing, counter-terrorism, immigration and the justice and home affairs agenda of the European Union.
Scotland Yard has charged more than 1,000 suspects over the rioting which swept through London and neighbouring towns like Birmingham early this month.
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Tags: class warfare, counter terrorism, criminality, head of parliament, home affairs committee, house of commons, indian origin, inequality, inquiry committee, keith vaz, labour mp, london riots, neighbouring towns, New Delhi, parliamentary committee, people from different backgrounds, phone hacking, scotland yard, six times, tony blair