HOMELESS people and charity workers have defended Home Secretary Jack Straw after he demanded change from a Big Issue seller on the streets on London.

But two homeless people selling the magazine on the streets of East Lancashire branded the Blackburn MP a "tightwad" and said: "We have had more than a tenner off normal passers-by."

Homeless Jaz Walter offered Mr Straw a copy of the £1 magazine during a walkabout with journalists in King's Cross yesterday

Mr Walter said he thought the MP was going to give him the whole lot when he took the £10 note out of his wallet but confusion followed when he then had to dig round in his pockets to reimburse him.

Mr Straw, who was viewing the success of a scheme to tackle street crime, and who earns more than £90,000 a year, eventually settled for £8 and said: "There was no question of me demanding £8 back. I don't think he expected me to give him £10 for a £1 copy."

Linda Sharratt, resettlement manager at homeless hostel Nightsafe in Blackburn said: "He should definitely have asked for his change because it shows that the bloke was a bona fide vendor.

"He wasn't treating him any different from anyone else. You wouldn't expect him to go into Boots and not get change.

"The idea of the Big Issue is that its not charity, you are a selling a product.

"It encourages people to do something for themselves. I know people that have managed to save up for a deposit on a flat."

Burnley Big Issue seller Chris Davidson said: "At the end of the day he shouldn't have moaned about £1. He earns that much money he should have just given the whole £10. I had somebody give me £43 in coppers before Christmas."

Chris's friend Steve Hurfurt said: "With how much he's earning he should've given the lot.

"The Christmas before last I'd only just started selling the Big Issue when somebody gave me £10 and they weren't Jack Straw. If they can give that much so can he."

A spokesman for the Big Issue in the north said the organisation had a clear policy which stated vendors could only ask for £1 but it was quite common for people to give a bit extra and say keep the change.

John Holker, 42, of Bramwell House, the Salvation Army Social Service Centre, in Heaton Street, Blackburn, said: "I think what he did was right. I believe that anyone else in his position would have done the same thing.

"Of course he wants his change, it's his money. I understand that politicians are on a lot of money but it's just fair play."

William Collins, 30, also of Bramwell House,added: "Everyone has got the right to ask for their change, but you would think that he would have been a bit more giving.

"Homelessness is one the issues that the Government is dealing with at the moment. He should have said keep the £10, it wouldn't have meant much to him, so he could have been a bit more generous."

The Salvation Army has 50 hostels and 38 soup runs throughout the country, together with 800 centres where people can drop in and get cheap lunches and help and advice.

A Salvation Army spokesman said: "The Big Issue is a worthwhile project and we support it because it recognises the need for homeless people to get back in their feet

"In terms of giving money to beggars, our general advice would be it is better to give the money to the appropriate organisation, such as the Salvation Army or other homeless organisations."