LONDON: A prominent British Indian MP is at the centre of allegations that Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government offered incentives to MPs to vote for a controversial bill. The bill pertained to extending detention periods for suspected terrorists.

Ethnic Goan Labour MP Keith Vaz is alleged to have executed a spectacular U-turn on the fraught issue of detaining suspects for as long as 42 days without charge. Vaz was the first Asian government minister and is now serving as chair of an influential parliamentary committee.

Till June 11, the day of the parliamentary vote, Vaz had expressed public skepticism about incarcerating suspected terrorists without charge for one of the longest spells currently allowed in the western world.
But just 24 hours ago, a British newspaper website reported the existence of a letter from a Labour parliamentary whip thanking Vaz for his support to the bill. The letter, written by the whip, Geoff Hoon, said he hoped Vaz would be "appropriately rewarded".

The suggestion of dirty tricks and the hawking of honours has been strongly taken up by the main opposition Conservative Party. Opposition MPs and even some members of Vaz's Labour Party say the letter may point to a dirty deal already struck between Brown and Vaz to turn the cheery Labour MP into Lord Vaz of Leicester.

According to unnamed "friends" of Vaz, he would not have minded being ennobled and taking his place with the great and the good in the upper chamber of the British parliament. Vaz has denied all such suggestions, while Hoon's aides have dismissed talk of dirty deals with the explanation it was a "jokey" remark between "old friends".