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Downing Street plays down reports of MPs' pay rise
21 Oct 2009Downing Street played down a suggestion today that Gordon Brown was planning to offer MPs a pay rise to buy off a backbench rebellion over their expected loss of income from expenses.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Brown would pay for an increase in MPs' basic salary by cutting ministers' wages, as he seeks to avoid a Commons mutiny over next month's report on expenses by Sir Christopher Kelly.
Sir Christopher is widely expected to recommend scaling back the expenses which MPs can claim, as well as barring them from employing members of their own families.
Responding to the Telegraph report, a Downing Street source said last night: "We do not recognise the suggestion that the Prime Minister is advocating any specific proposals.
"He is eagerly awaiting the results of Sir Christopher Kelly's independent review, which will provide the basis for any future decisions."
An MP's basic salary is currently £64,766, while the 98 members of the Government earn between £96,000 and £197,000.
According to the paper, Mr Brown's plan could see all 646 MPs receive a £3,000 wage increase at no extra cost to the taxpayer, by cutting ministers' salaries by £20,000 each.
Many MPs are furious that the audit of their expense claims over the past five years by Sir Thomas Legg has resulted in demands for thousands of pounds to be repaid. They believe the Legg review was unfair because it imposed backdated caps on the amount that could be claimed for cleaning and gardening at second homes.
Some of the MPs who have given evidence to Sir Christopher are understood to have argued they should be granted a substantial pay rise to compensate them for any loss in income from expenses and allowances.
Reader views (14)
I moved to berlin to get away from all this rubbish. Elected as they are, we are powerless to stop these cretins doing exactly what they please. In order to justify their positions (assuming that the definiton of an elected govt. is a body elected to SERVE the will of the people), incentivise them by insisting that the least performing minister is beheaded on a monthly, the head left on a spike at traitor´s gate. I wonder of this would change the very essence of politics ? It just makes me want to swear.
- Rod The Tosh, Berlin germany, 21/10/2009 12:49
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We've tried reasoning with them, appealing to their sense of honour, shaming them ... nothing it seems comes between our 'representatives' and their love of money.
Next May then.
- Tv, Hounslow, UK, 21/10/2009 12:46
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Robbing Peter to pay Paul, while Rome burns.
Nothing like mixing your metaphors!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 21/10/2009 12:03
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Presumably Brown is aware that there's a recession on? Or is this part of his "spend my way out of it" plan? Is he trying to prove the adage about Scotsman and money wrong in the most desperate manner possible?
- Bob, Cheam, 21/10/2009 11:55
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Is there any Labour MP who could lead the Party with any idea of what the public thinks of this debacle of a Government???
- Tojo, Hythe, Kent, 21/10/2009 10:20
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Come the election I know who I will vote for. Religion is now the new race. The sensible proposal to halt immigration is now racist. Not wanting to live in an over crowded land makes you now in Labour's eyes a racist. And now McDuff wants to give all his cronies a rise. Get on with carrying out what the people want now -not what you want.
- Frederick, London, 21/10/2009 10:03
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Noolabor going going (come the election)GONE.
Good riddance
- El Del, Valencia Spain, 21/10/2009 09:52
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It is highly unlikely that MPs will accept a £3,000 p.a. pay rise as under the present arrangements they are able to fraudulently claim up to £22,000 for non-existent mortgages,non-essential "second homes" "main" homes in spare bedrooms, porn films, patio heaters plus £40,000 to pay spouses and family members to "lick envelopes". The only consolation for tax payers is that this bunch of thieves and fraudsters will be kicked out at the next election.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 21/10/2009 09:36
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More smoke and mirrors? Another issue being ducked by the PM? Mr Brown would gain far more support from voters if he took on these recalcitrant MPs rather than trying to buy them off.
Cutting back the number of government "members" would certainly be a good idea. There seems to be a complete mystery as to what most of them do, except paerhaps toe the pary line and act as gophers - hardly deserving of the salaries quoted.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK, 21/10/2009 09:34
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My local MP Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale) had one of the highest claims for "expenses" yet, she only only attended 59& of the debates in the House of Conmen.
Will this parasite now be repaying 41% of the "expenses" claimed from the swill bucket?
Gormless Brown is an exceedingly nasty piece of work, as is clearly shown by his utter contempt for the electorate.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 21/10/2009 09:34
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The final nail in the coffin of British politics.
- Squiz, Islington, 21/10/2009 09:12
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If the PM from across the border is so worried about his personal support that he wishes to alienate his party's core support by imposing a pay freeze on the lower paid, then rewarding the pigs at the trough with more grease, then crackle (sic) on. The sooner this corrupt lot disappear into the annuls of history, the better. What this country need is a party with a modicum of common sense, something non of the three front runners possess, so time for one of the smaller ones to step up and take the initiative?.
- Whispy, Leatherhead, Surrey, 21/10/2009 08:09
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Just how low will the Palace of Westminster sink - This is suposed to be the Mother of all Parliments, now thanks to the activities of a few, and the botched attempts to hide the wrong doing - now the Palace of Westminster is the Mother of Sleaze.
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 21/10/2009 08:06
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Not to worry,they will all feel the pure Hatred the public have for them come the election.And for them to call me a racist because im voting UKIP is pathetic attempt to get people to vote for them.I want a vote on Europe,I want immigration stopped,I want our troops home and I want MPs who stole my money through expenses to pay it back.None of these will I get by voteing for any of the main parties,so race has nothing to do with my Democratic right to vote for whoever I choice on policy.
- Dave, london, 21/10/2009 07:39
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