Mr Vaz, who is married with two children, was first elected as an MP in June 1987.
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According to allegations in the Sunday Mirror, he met up with two “Eastern European prostitutes” last week in a flat he owns in Edgware, North London, close to his family home.
Asked if he was happy for Mr Vaz to remain in the Labour Party, Mr Corbyn said: “Well, he hasn’t committed any crime that I know of”.
The day before, Mr Vaz reportedly texted one of the escorts to request they bring a legal sex drug with them. Mr Vaz has previously said in Parliament that he would vote to ban poppers if the drug was proved to be harmful. “As far as I’m aware it is a private matter”, he said. “Try and pick up some poppers”, he is said to have written.
The committee suggested that there is not enough evidence that sex work should be illegal.
The Labour MP said it was “impossible” for him to continue in post and that he had to be held accountable for his actions.
He told them: “These are industrial washing machines, that I sell. Does he speak English”. Indeed Mr Vaz told Parliament: “Poppers have a beneficial health and relationship effect in enabling anal sex for some men who have sex with men”. “I’m getting very horny”.
During the meeting Mr Vaz reportedly told the younger escort: “Take your shirt off”.
The three men are also said to have examined pictures of men on gay dating app Grindr during the rendezvous.
The Sunday Mirror has justified its reporting on the basis that there is a public interest in exposing Mr Vaz given his role in scrutinising legislation on sex workers and drugs. The paper claims he said: “He was OK”. He forgot the condom though. “I leave it to him to decide on that”, he told the BBC.
When asked how he knew the escort had been clear of sexually transmitted diseases Mr Vaz reportedly replied “I don’t know”.
It says Mr Vaz responded saying: “I have referred these allegations to my solicitor Mark Stephens, of Howard Kennedy, who will consider them carefully and advise me on what is published”.
The paper also reported that the MP joked of the older escort “I feel as if I’m his bank manager”.
“I think it should be treated as a private matter”.
There is no suggestion in the newspaper report that the charity’s money was used in the affair.
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In an earlier statement issued to the Mail on Sunday, the Leicester East MP said: “I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and distress that has been caused by my actions, in particular to my wife and children”.
