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Local MPs call for their pay rise to be scrapped

Martin Vickers Lia Nici MPs Grimsby and Cleethorpes

Local MPs call for their pay rise to be scrapped

The MPs for Grimsby and Cleethorpes have signed a letter pushing for their salaries to be frozen next year.

Lia Nici (Grimsby) and Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) are among some Conservative MPs who have sent a letter to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) to block a pay hike.

The letter, co-ordinated by Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland Dehenna Davison, has been signed by 52 Tory MPs. There are 364 Conservative MPs in total.

In the document, sent to Ipsa’s interim chairman, Richard Lloyd, MPs said they rejected the body’s recommendation for their pay to rise by around £3,000 in April, and called for it to “scrap” the plans altogether.

The watchdog has been using the increase in average weekly public sector wages that is published in December to set the figure for politicians.

This could see MPs get an increase from April that would potentially take their pay to around £85,000.

Only Ipsa can make decisions about MPs’ pay.

In the letter, MPs said that “with the whole nation making huge sacrifices to control the coronavirus”,  it was neither “appropriate nor justifiable to be awarding MPs pay rises”.

“I am pleased that where the government can take action on pay it has, with ministerial pay frozen at 2010 levels. However, as you know, decisions on the pay of MPs do not sit with government, but sit with you,” Dehenna Davison said.

“Therefore we are calling on you to scrap the 3 per cent pay rise we are set to receive this year and freeze MPs’ pay.”

In a direct appeal to Ipsa, Ms Davison finished the note by saying she and her colleagues “sincerely hope that you will take current circumstances into account and scrap the proposed pay rise for Members of Parliament”.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday: “Given the circumstances, the PM doesn’t believe MPs should be receiving a pay rise.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also voiced opposition, telling LBC radio last month: “We shouldn’t have it.”

Ipsa is due to announce its final decision next month.

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