Police searched the home of former Tory MP Harvey Proctor yesterday while investigating allegations of a historic paedophile ring in Westminster.

The former Basildon and Billericay MP (pictured) was forced to quit Parliament in 1987 after pleading guilty to acts of gross indecency involving underage rent boys.

Always on the extreme right of the party, Proctor was elected as MP for Basildon in 1979 after a campaign in which he argued in favour of restricting the number of “coloured” immigrants.