MP Pay Rises

Basic salaries for MPs are set to rise by around £1000 from the 1st April bringing the standard salary for the position up to just over £65,000. This pay rise is likely to cause discourse amongst others following the very public scandal in respect of expenses and the fact that many public sector workers have had their pay frozen.

A report from the Local Government Association has shown that around 1.4 million workers across the UK will not receive any pay rises and many are even fearing that their will be job cuts. Teachers have all been told that they will not receive a pay rise and those in the caring professions such as doctors and dentists are looking at a 1.5% pay rise next year.

A government spokesperson stated: "The prime minister is clear that we need to strengthen public confidence in the political system and reduce the cost of politics." Concerns have been raised by Dave Prentis of Unison stating: "However, it does not seem right that MPs can get a 1.5% pay increase - worth £1,000 a year on basic pay - when low-paid workers such as teaching assistants, school dinner ladies, social care workers, road sweepers will get nothing, because their pay is being frozen. The MPs might also want to contemplate the speeches and seminars calling for lengthy pay restraint in the public sector and the damage they cause to morale and public confidence."