‘Insane’ time for MPs to have a pay rise says Mid Sussex MP

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) published initial proposals on pay and pensions for Members of Parliament this morning, including a possible 9.3 per cent pay rise in 2015.

Mr Soames said that the cost of politics should be going down and thought this might have happened if the Liberal Democrats had not blocked proposals to reduce the size of the House of Commons.

“That Members of Parliament should have a pay rise, now is an insane time to propose it and do it,” he said.

“I think it’s quite wrong for a pay rise of this type.”

Mr Soames said he had never claimed for a meal in his life, and thought that some aspects of pay and expenses ‘should be tidied up’.

“IPSA will make a decision. It’s entirely independent, but as I said the cost of politics must come down,” he explained.

“I do not think that MPs’ pay should be going up when public sector pay is being constrained. It would be wrong and really an extraordinary time to suggest any public servant should receive a pay rise.”

He made it clear that the proposals would be consulted on and MPs and the general public would have their say.