British MPs are set to receive a 1.4 percent pay rise worth over £1,000, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said on Thursday.
Despite a continual cap on public sector wages, IPSA have given a go ahead to a pay rise for politicians around the country, prompting outrage from various trade unions and some MPs. Following the increase, MPs will see the pay rise from £74,962 to £76,011, which marks a significant disparity between the UK’s average working salary of £27,600.
Wage increases for the political elite remain a controversial issue for the public, in the wake of the expenses abuse scandal that emerged during the thick of the financial crisis in 2009. Last year Ipsa accepted additional MP wage increases of 1.3 percent, resulting in a substantial increase from £67,000 to £74,000.
A spokesman for Ipsa commented: “We will confirm the amount of any pay adjustment in February.”
Speaking to the Telegraph about the matter, Sir Alistair Graham, who previously chaired the committee, criticized the increase. He said:
“MPs are in what most people would see as a privileged position, whereas groups of workers are being told there could be bans on strikes without any formula in place as far as they are concerned.
“Policeman, fireman and other key emergency workers don’t get the sort of arrangement that Members of Parliament have.
“I think they should be concerned abut the public perception that they are being looked after in a privileged way that others are not.”
This latest pay increase marks a contradiction from the evident message of austerity that has dominated government rhetoric and policy since 2009. Crucial public services such as the NHS remain under financial strain, with many concerned about an impending ‘winter crisis’, as government funding continues to decrease. With regards to wages, public sector workers are currently subjected to a 1 per cent cap until 2019, a restriction which is at odds with the latest pay rise for MPs.
Ipsa is an independent parliamentary watchdog that has been appointed by the government in an effort to ensure greater transparency.