By Boris Johnson opposed to pay rise for MPs
Boris Johnson does not think MPs should get a pay rise, Downing Street has said.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which sets their salaries, said in October that MPs could be entitled to a rise of more than £3,000.
The 4.1 percent salary increase that is due in April would be worth £3,300.
The pay rise would boost MPs’ salaries from £81,932 to £85,232 – almost three times medium annual pay in the UK, which stands at £31,461, according to official figures.
But the Prime Minister said the extra should not be awarded “given the circumstances” of the pandemic.
“MPs’ salaries are obviously decided by an independent body but given the circumstances, the PM doesn’t believe MPs should be receiving a pay rise,” the prime minister’s spokesman told reporters.
This comes after reports public sector pay could be frozen in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spending review on Wednesday.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said in October that the additional cash for politicians should be spent on key workers instead.
Ina report released last month, IPSA proposed continuing to link parliamentarians’ pay to wage growth in the public sector and using October’s three-month average public sector wage growth as the benchmark.
Its final decision will be announced next month.
IPSA’s interim chairman Richard Lloyd said the body has a statutory duty to review MPs’ pay in the first year of each parliament.
“Given the huge economic uncertainties arising from the coronavirus pandemic, we do not think it is right to depart from this approach now,” he said.
IPSA was set up after the 2009 expenses scandal to ensure that MPs were not involved in deciding their own remuneration.
Photo: Shane Rounce
