MPs reject above-inflation pay rise

MPs have rejected awarding themselves an above-inflation pay rise.

In a Commons debate on salaries and allowances on Thursday, the House backed a motion which would stop them deciding on their own pay rises in the future.

Following a review by former Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) chairman Sir John Baker, the power to set pay will now rest with the independent SSRB.

Leader of the House Harriet Harman said amendments from Labour backbenchers Tony Lloyd and Don Touhig calling for pay increases would not be "consistent with the government's public sector pay approach".

The minister added that Lloyd's amendment to upgrade parliamentary pensions in line with Sir John's pay recommendations would also "create a precedent" which would make it "more difficult" to reject similar claims in the public sector.

Lloyd withdrew his motions, while Touhig's proposal for a staged pay rise limited to 2.3 per cent this year was defeated by 196 votes to 155, a majority of 41.

A further motion to link MPs' pay to the public sector average earnings index was also defeated by 216 votes to 141, a majority of 75.

And Sir John's recommendation of a £650 per year catch-up payment over the next three years was beaten by 224 votes to 123, a majority of 101.

In a recent survey by ePolitix.com, 92 per cent of respondents said MPs  should no longer be able to decide their own pay rises.

The online poll of 475 ePolitix subscribers was conducted from June 18 – 20, 2008. For more information, please contact