Alleged corruption by police dealing with historic child abuse claims involving former Basildon MP Harvey Proctor will be investigated.

It is alleged the Met Police suppressed evidence, hindered investigations and covered up the offences due to the involvement of MPs and police officers.

The Leicestershire home of Mr Proctor, MP for Basildon from 1979 to 1983 and Billericay from 1983 to 1987, was raided by police investigating an alleged paedophile ring earlier this month.

But the former Conservative politician has denied all knowledge of the ring, as well as claims three boys linked to the alleged abuse were murdered.

The abuse is said to have centred on an apartment block at Dolphin Square, near the Houses of Parliament.

Independent Police Complaints Commission deputy chairman Sarah Green said: “These allegations are of historic, high-level corruption of the most serious nature.

“Allegations of this nature are of grave concern and I would like to reassure people of our absolute commitment to ensuring the investigations are thorough and robust.”

The IPCC will look into claims a list of MPs and senior police officers said to be involved in a paedophile ring was found at the address of a paedophile, but no further action was taken.

It is also alleged an account provided by an abuse victim was altered to remove the name of a senior politician.

In the late 1970s, it is claimed a surveillance operation gathering intelligence on a suspected paedophile and politician was closed down by a senior Met officer.

Mr Proctor left Parliament in 1987 and admitted “gross indecency” for homosexual activity with men aged under 21, which was the age of consent for gay men at the time.

In a radio interview earlier this month, he said: “The offences I committed in 1987 are no longer offences and there is legislation on the statute book which would allow me to wipe them clean if I wish to do so.

“I have never attended sex parties at Dolphin Square or anywhere else.Ihave not been part of any rent boy ring with cabinet ministers, other MPs or generals or the military.”