Boris calls for ‘restraint’ on MPs’ pay

Salaries should be frozen amid cost of living crisis, PM suggests

‘Reduce the cost of bills’

BOriS Johnson has called for ‘restraint’ from the body that sets MPs’ salaries, paving the way for a second straight year of pay freezes.

citing the cost of living pressures being experienced by families across the country, he suggested salaries should remain at £81,932.

the independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is expected to make its salary recommendations shortly. these are based on average earnings increases across the public sector, calculated by the Office for national Statistics.

this year state salaries have risen by an average of 2.7 per cent, meaning MPs’ earnings could increase by around £2,200. it would come into effect on April 1 – the same time the Government’s controversial rise in national insurance payments start.

Before the decision, Mr Johnson’s official spokesman urged iPSA not to recommend large pay rises. He said: ‘We would expect restraint on matters like this given the current circumstances, but beyond that i think it’s right that we let iPSA set out their proposals as an independent body.’

the prospect of raising MPs’ pay at a time when fuel and food bills are increasing could prove politically damaging for Mr Johnson.

MP salaries were frozen last year after public outcry when iPSA recommended a raise of more than £3,000. the rise was suspended due to the economic impact of the pandemic, and opposition from MPs.

Ahead of the proposed 2021 rise, more than 50 tory MPs called on iPSA to impose a pay freeze. in September iPSA said it had suspended the usual way in which it calculated salaries because of statistical anomalies caused by the pandemic.

the independent body will use its own discretion to make salary recommendations until 2024. A spokesman for iPSA said last night: ‘A decision on MPs’ pay for 2022-23 will be taken by iPSA early in 2022. iPSA will take into account OnS data as well as other relevant information.’

Sir Keir Starmer also came out against a pay rise.

‘i think that MPs do not need a pay rise and we should all be saying that we don’t need that pay rise and it shouldn’t go ahead,’ said the labour leader.

‘the mechanism is independent but i think it’s for me, as leader of the opposition, to say that i do not think we should have that pay rise.’

A Downing Street spokesman said iPSA hadn’t ‘set out any proposals yet’ and added that he did not believe the PM would be making representations on the matter.

experts have predicted that rising wholesale costs will result in a 50 per cent increase in bills from April, when the latest change to the energy price cap takes effect.

if this comes to pass, an average household on a supplier’s default tariff would face paying nearly £2,000 a year for gas and electricity, compared with under £1,300 now.

Mr Johnson said yesterday that he was ‘looking at’ what the Government could do to reduce the cost of bills.