Anger after MPs demand 66% pay rise

12 April 2012

Public service unions have reacted angrily to reports that MPs are pushing for a pay hike of up to 66% to take their salaries to £100,000 a year.

The Sunday Times reported that MPs have been writing to the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) which sets their pay, calling for a big rise on their £60,277 annual salary.

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny condemned the claim at a time when thousands of low paid public sector workers were having their pay capped at 3%.

"These are the same people who protected their own pension scheme but cut the pensions of the lowest-paid public sector workers," he said.

"They support the imposition of a 3% cap on public service workers' pay, but are reported to want an increase of over 60% for themselves.

"Is it any wonder that people are cynical about politicians. They are out to lunch and they want someone else to pay."

The MPs were said to believe that their salaries have been falling behind other professions and they want a settlement to achieve parity with GPs or council chiefs.

Raising MPs pay to £100,000 would increase their total pay bill from £39 million to £65 million.

Some Labour and Conservative MPs were said to have written individually to the SSRB, while the 1922 Committee, representing Tory backbenchers was also reported to have made a submission although this was said not to include a specific figure.

Anything approaching such a large increase would inevitably cause a massive public outcry and is likely to be resisted by the leaderships of both the main parties.

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