FORMER politician Harvey Proctor has refused to give evidence to a police review into the handling of historic sex abuse probes.

Mr Proctor, Tory MP for Basildon from 1979 to 1983 and Billericay from 1983 to 1987, had his home raided and was twice interviewed under caution as part of a Met Police investigation into an alleged Westminster paedophile ring.

The investigation, Operation Midland, was shut down earlier this year without making a single arrest, having lasted 16 months and cost £1.8million.

In a letter to Louise Oakley, the lawyer assisting retired judge Sir Richard Henriques with the Met review, Mr Proctor claimed the investigation will not be independent.

Declining an invitation to meet with Sir Richard this week, he said: "You are participating in a secret inquiry which is a cover-up and destined to become a 'brilliant' whitewash."

Mr Proctor has refused to meet Sir Richard, partly because the retired judge wrote a separate, damning report for the Crown Prosecution Service on missed chances to prosecute the late Lord Janner, who was also investigated as part of Operation Midland.

Scotland Yard will only publish parts of Sir Richard's final report, but a full copy will be given to the Goddard Inquiry into child sexual abuse.

Mr Proctor said he will also decline to give evidence to the public inquiry, and is willing to face prison or a fine if he is compelled to do so.

He said: "She (inquiry leader Dame Lowell Goddard) will have to fine or imprison me because there is no way I'm appearing before her.

"Her inquiry is biased and it's pro-victim and survivors. The assumption is that it was all credible and true."