24.1.2008

MARTYN JONES MP JOINS THE GOVERNMENT IN LOWER MP PAY RISE

Today Martyn Jones MP voted with the government accepting a below inflation pay increase for all MP’s. An Independent Commission had previously ruled that Members of Parliament should receive an increase of 2.56%. However the Government proposed a lesser increase of 1.9%.

Mr Jones commented: “There is an amazing perception outside Westminster that all MP’s are out for themselves that’s simply not true. We recognise that when we are unable to provide full pay rises to vital public servants such as police officers and nurses we ourselves should not receive any better.

It is probably time that MP’s were no longer in the position to decide their own pay at all. It understandably leads to questions about the increase they have granted themselves and the manner in which they have done so. No other worker in Britain can increase their own pay so it seems bemusing to me that we can.

I fully support the noises coming from the government at the current time about an independent commission being set up to regulate members pay.”