British police to investigate MPs in expenses scandal

Jun 20, 2009, 3:43 GMT

London - British police said it began criminal investigations into the alleged misuse of expenses by several lawmakers.

A 'small number' of full inquiries of members of both houses of parliament were necessary, Scotland Yard said late Friday. A panel of specialized detectives was to focus on politicians who allegedly deliberately misled authorities or claimed repayments for non-existing mortgages.

While police did not release any names, the BBC reported that Labour lawmakers David Chaytor and Elliot Morley are among those to be investigated. Both MPs already announced the will stand down, after it emerged that they claimed interest payment on already paid mortgages.

The expenses scandal, which came to the fore following a series of stories by the Daily Telegraph newspaper, rocked Britain's parliament and led the Labour government to the verge of collapse.

The paper published stories on faked or outrageous expense claims, showing that British lawmakers took taxpayer's money for everything from rat poison to moat clearing.

A number of Labour ministers and the speaker of the House of Commons had to resign over the scandal.