South Wales Evening Post - 11 May 2009
A Swansea pensioner was left so disgusted by "scandalous" expense claims by politicians that he complained to police.
Mel Poole, aged 66, rang police in Swansea to complain about Justice minister Jack Straw, who claimed expense payments for the full amount of council tax on his London home over four years, despite only having to pay half.
Mr Straw repaid the money last year when he was foreign secretary.
His complaint alleging criminal deception was forwarded to the Metropolitan Police, but he said they had refused to take it any further.
Mr Poole, of Glan Yr Afon Road, said: "I'm just trying to highlight that the taxpayer is fighting back. They're all at it, it's scandalous, and they've only given pensioners a 50 pence a week rise. It's disgusting."
A spokesman for the Justice Secretary said: "All claims made for Jack Straw's Blackburn home have been made in accordance with the rules of the Commons. It was also Mr Straw who spotted errors in the claims for council tax and alerted the authorities. He repaid the difference."
