The Guardian, David Hencke, 30/4/2008

John Lyon, the parliamentary standards commissioner, has launched an investigation into whether a Labour MP abused taxpayers' cash by using his annual parliamentary allowance to put out partisan propaganda against the Tories in the run up to the local elections.

Ian Cawsey, MP for Brigg and Goole, is under fire for attacking Tories in Yorkshire for wanting to downgrade his local fire station as part of a big reorganisation of services in the county and neighbouring Humberside. The MP denies the letter is partisan.

He is one of two Labour MPs reported to the standards commissioner by the Tories for abusing the communications allowance. The commissioner is deciding whether to investigate Eric Martlew, MP for Carlisle.

The rules on the communications allowance tells MPs: "The content of any communications paid from the allowances must not seek to compare the member's party favourably with another, promote one party at the expense of another or seek to undermine the reputation of political opponents."

Cawsey used the allowance to send a letter to 2000 people who wrote to him, protesting about the fire services plan. The letter – headed "Tory Councillors vote to Support the Downgrading of Goole fire station" – went on to accuse the Conservatives on East Riding council of "a betrayal of our town" in voting for the downgrade. This was the contrasted with the opposition by Labour councillors in Goole.

Cawsey defended the letter, saying it was a factual account of what had happened and there was no other way of explaining it. He said there were no local elections in his constituency - although there are local elections in other parts of Humberside and North Lincolnshire which are affected by the fire service re-organisation.

Martlew confirmed a complaint had been made by the Tories against him for a newsletter and survey funded by the allowance. But he said he had cleared it with the parliamentary authorities.

The shadow minister for the cabinet office, Francis Maude, said: "At a time when Labour MPs in marginal seats feel increasingly vulnerable, this is the naked use of taxpayers' money to fund their survival hopes. It's not surprising that politicians are held in such contempt with this sort of cynical raid on the taxpayer.

"The Conservative party is committed to restoring trust in British politics, and scrapping the communications allowance is a major step towards this."