Pauline Graham was told that politicians did not have sufficient funds to get vital equipment to troops fighting in the Middle East.

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The grandmother of Gordon Gentle, who was killed serving his country in Iraq, has spoken of her anger at the unfolding controversy over MPs' expenses.

Pauline Graham was told that politicians did not have sufficient funds to get vital equipment to troops fighting in the Middle East.

She believes lives could have been saved if taxpayers' money had been better spent.

She told STV News: "What I would say to those MPs who've stolen our taxpayers' money is to pay it back. Pay it to people that need it. I mean, give it to the troops."

Mrs Graham's family and friends, led by her daughter Rose, have long sought better safety measures for troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While Fusilier Gentle's death in an armoured vehicle was held to have resulted from failures in the supply chain, the right equipment could have saved his life.

Mrs Graham believes that is still lacking in many cases. She said: "Our troops were called the borrowers - and do you know why? Because they had to borrow equipment off the Americans. And I think that's a disgrace: the lack of boots, the lack of helmets."

The money claimed by MPs would be better spent providing our soldiers with these essentials, Mrs Graham believes.

She added that any remorse shown by politicians stemmed from regret over being caught. She said: "They regret they've been found out. And they're just coming up with all these excuses but the public will never, ever believe them again. Never."

Royal Highland Fusilier Gentle was killed five years ago in Iraq.