We don't need vote on £1,000 pay rise, MPs tell David Cameron

12 April 2012

MPs risked public anger today by warning David Cameron not to block a pay rise of up to £1,000.

London Tory MP Mark Field led the backlash against moves to reject a salary increase of between one and 1.5 per cent.

The senior salaries review body is expected to recommend to Speaker John Bercow that MPs' salaries should rise from their current £65,737 a year.

MPs stopped voting on their pay three years ago to try to stop the controversy over their expenses. Commons leader Sir George Young is now said to have suggested to the Prime Minister that a vote should be held to stop the latest rise, which is likely to infuriate millions of public sector workers who have had a pay freeze.

MPs said past restrictions on pay increases led to the expenses scandal. Mr Field said: "If politicians are to regain the trust of voters, it would be incredibly unwise for the Government to allow MPs to vote once more on their pay. We got into the expenses scandal because we did not take on board independent salary reviews.

"These matters are rightly dealt with exclusively by an independent review."

A senior Tory MP said: "A rise of £1,000 is hardly excessive. It should not be down to the Prime Minister to decide what we get paid."

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