June 17, 2008
Will MPs show as much pay restraint as ministers?
Gordon Brown announced today that no ministers would take a pay rise this year. Pour encourager les autres, etc, etc.
The government has also rejected Sir John Baker’s recommendation of a 4.6 per cent pay rise for all MPs this year. They will get to vote on this on July 3.
How will the vote go? The Tories are urging all their rank and file to reject the rise, which is far above inflation and sends out all the wrong signals to public sector workers.
Labour is likely to whip its payroll (about 140 ministers etc) and use a “one-line whip” on everyone else.
Given the public mood about a] the economy and b] “fat-cat MPs” I’d be amazed if the 4.6 per cent rise sees the light of day.
Incidentally…
Sir John raised the prospect of Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland MPs being paid less than their English counterparts - because of devolution.
“All MPs are paid exactly the same and it is a deep article of faith of MPs that that should be the case,” he said. “I have always taken the view that as and when we see a complete package of constitutional reform, looking at the House of Lords as well, I think that question will come back on the table and will need addressing then.”
