Rival partyleaders turn downsalary rise

All Government ministers, two other senior Conservative MPs and Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable will also voluntarily forego the 1.5 per cent rise, which will bring MPs’ basic salaries to 65,737.

The increase sparked fury from unions at a time when millions of workers across the private and public sectors are facing pay freezes or even cuts.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of public sector union Unison, said: “It does not seem right that MPs can get a 1.5 per cent pay increase, worth 1,000 a year on basic pay, when low-paid workers such as teaching assistants, school dinner ladies, social care workers, road sweepers will get nothing, because their pay is being frozen.”

One Conservative backbencher said MPs would struggle to do their job without the extra cash because of “eccentric” restrictions on allowances being introduced in the wake of Sir Christopher Kelly’s inquiry into expenses.

North Thanet MP Roger Gale said he would donate his pay rise to charity, but added: “Many MPs, particularly those with young families and including those who will be elected at the forthcoming general election, are going to face very straitened circumstances.”

The pay rise was recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body and will come into effect automatically on April 1.