Inflation-busting pay rises for MPs who voted to keep police and nurses' pay down

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

This is despite them voting to hold down pay rises for nurses and policemen - and urging private companies to observe pay restraint.

Nine ministers, including Harriet Harman and Tessa Jowell, are among those who will receive the increases of more than £6,000 each next year.

Bonanza: Harriet Harman voted against the rise but Tessa Jowell, centre, and Bridget Prentice, right, backed it in the Commons

This is made up of the pay rise for all MPs plus a huge increase in the topup that those with seats in London are allowed to claim.

It comes at a time when ordinary families are struggling to cope with soaring food and energy prices, with the Daily Mail Cost of Living Index rising at 25 per cent a year.

For backbench MPs, the £6,000 pay hike will mean an increase of 9.9 per cent in one year - far higher than the official rate of inflation.

The pay rise was voted through before the summer recess and will come into effect from April 1 next year.

For Miss Harman, who earns £140,000 a year, the rise is worth around 4.3 per cent.

She voted against the rise but will receive it nevertheless because it will be added automatically to her salary.

Among those to benefit who did vote for the rise are Olympics minister Miss Jowell and justice minister Bridget Prentice.

Critics have attacked the rise, calling it hypocritical at a time when Government policy is to urge pay restraint.

Mark Wallace of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'These are remarkably large figures, particularly for ministers in a Government that has produced so much rhetoric about public sector pay restraint.

'Next time these ministers say they understand what ordinary people are going through, everyone should remember they have protected themselves from the soaring cost of living, while the rest of us foot the bill.'

Shadow Commons leader Theresa May said: 'These figures show that by voting against our proposals to make MPs' pay more transparent, Government ministers pocketed thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money.'

MPs get a basic salary of £61,181 but 26 London MPs claim a supplement of £2,812 for living in the capital. On July 3, MPs voted to raise the supplement to £7,500 - a £4,688 rise.

But in a separate vote, MPs decided to link pay to the salaries of senior public sector managers. This would net them a further 2.25 per cent rise, worth £1,376 - making a total increase in the spring of £6,065.

The other ministers who will benefit are: Margaret Hodge (culture), Stephen Timms (employment), Meg Hillier (home office), Joan Ruddock ( environment), Jim Fitzpatrick (transport) and David Lammy (skills).

Other beneficiaries in the Government are Andrew Slaughter, parliamentary private secretary to trade minister Lord Digby Jones, assistant whips Siobhain McDonagh and Sadiq Khan, and Lyn Brown, PPS to universities secretary John Denham.

MEMBERS WHO WILL GET THE FULL INCREASE IN APRIL