LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologised yesterday for politicians’ expenses, which included claims for dog food and light bulbs, in a bid to staunch a damaging parliamentary scandal.

The revelations in the Daily Telegraph newspaper about MPs claims were the latest in a string of embarrassing headlines about ruling Labour legislators — including Brown and his Cabinet colleagues — and opposition figures.

There has been widespread public anger and even calls for parliament to be dissolved. An election is not legally required until mid-2010.

Brown used a speech to a nursing conference to contrast the apparent disparity in standards of the two professions. “I want to apologise on behalf of politicians…of all parties for what has happened,” he said. “Just as you have the highest standards for your profession, we must show that we have the highest standards for our profession.”

The spotlight yesterday over reports of how MPs have used allowances on top of an annual salary of almost 65,000 pounds ($98,000) — more than double the national average — fell on opposition Conservatives.

The right-leaning newspaper had published details over the past three days of claims by Labour MPs for thousands of pounds spent on gardening, home furnishings and security. The reports are particularly damaging at a time when Britain is suffering its worst recession since World War Two.

Lord Naseby, a former deputy speaker between 1992 and 1997 told the BBC over the weekend the scandal brought the current Parliament into disrepute. “I think quite frankly, if this runs and runs, the Parliament should be dissolved, I think they have to start again.”

A poll at the weekend showed support for Labour at a record low of only 23 percent, against 45 percent for the Conservatives ahead of an election due by the middle of next year. Labour has ruled since 1997, but the polls point to a Conservative landslide in the next election.

Labour faces local and European elections on June 4 and a bad performance is likely to fuel speculation about whether Brown should lead the party into the parliamentary election.

The newspaper printed details of a 4.47 pounds claim for dog food by the Conservative spokeswoman for Wales Cheryl Gillan.