The body in charge of handling MPs’ salaries and expenses, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), has published recommendations that MPs should receive a pay rise of £6,296.
At a time of economic crisis and when so many of our constituents are struggling to make ends meet, I think this proposal to increase MPs’ wages is completely wrong.
I reject the salary hike recommended for 2015 – and would donate the extra money to charity.
Like many MPs, I support the idea of an independent body to manage MPs’ salaries and expenses to reduce interference by politicians, but IPSA isn’t doing itself any favours with these hugely out of touch plans.
— Caroline Lucas
Posted by Caroline Lucas on her blog.
If we look at what Members of Parliament are paid as an annual salary, then yes, they are underpaid, and probably deserve a modest increase, but now is not the time.
No one forced them to become MPs, few actually act for their constituents.
IPSA are completely out of touch with reality, if they think it is ok to increase MPs salaries by 11%.
We are living in a period of austerity, imposed on us by Parliament. Those who are on benefits, the poorest in society, have effectively seen their benefits cut, then on top of that hit with Council Tax and Bedroom Tax.
But MPs have called them scroungers, said it is perfectly reasonable to manage on benefits and what are they moaning about. The same MPs who are now saying they need a big pay rise.
And do not forget, many of them have nice little earners outside of their day job.
Gerald Howarth MP, has a nice little retainer acting as a consultant to a pay day loan company. Howarth is Member of Parliament for Aldershot, a deprived town, many of his constituents are victims of pay day loan companies.
Many ordinary people have two or three jobs. Not because like MPs they are greedy, but because they are in part-time, poorly paid jobs and only by having more than one job can they make ends meet, and not end up victims of pay day loan companies, modern day loan sharks.
Compared with this time last year, there are now three times as many people seeking help from food banks. Food banks are the fastest growing sector of the economy. In the last year, the number of food banks has doubled.
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