LARGE PAY RISE WRONG, SAY MPS (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

LARGE PAY RISE WRONG, SAY MPS

January 18, 2008 7:00 PM

Members of the Commons will no longer be able to vote themselves future pay hikes in a government move called for by Gloucestershire MPs.Leader of the House Harriet Harman said she wanted to introduce a mechanism ahead of next year's pay award which would strip MPs of the power to agree their own wage.

It comes as the Government rejected proposals by the Senior Salaries Review Body for a backdated wage increase giving MPs an inflation-busting 2.56 per cent hike.

Downing Street insisted the rise for 2007/08 should be kept to 1.9 per cent in line with public sector settlements.

MPs will have a free vote next week on whether to agree the Government deal, which would leave them with a salary of £61,820 - up from their current £60,675.

Labour MP for Stroud David Drew had backed a parliamentary petition calling for members to lose the right to vote on their pay, and that rises should be set in line with settlements for public sector workers.

Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood said: "It's ludicrous we get to vote on our own pay. Very few people in society get that opportunity. It creates this tension between not being seen to be greedy and paying a fair salary.

"If we were to award ourselves anything like the increases talked about, it sends an appallingly bad signal to the public and public sector. I don't think a big increase in anybody's pay is acceptable."

From the Gloucestershire Echo www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk

18 January 2008