Bolton MPs react to 5.5 per cent Ipsa parliamentary pay rise

This comes after the MPs’ expenses watchdog announced that their pay will rise by 5.5 per cent from April onwards.

But Bolton MP Chris Green has said he has worked to try and keep the costs of his office down.

He said: “I’ve always been very conscious as a Member of Parliament about being good value for money, which is why I have the lowest cost of any MP in Greater Manchester.

Chris Green MP (Image: Office of Chris Green MP)

“I appreciate people’s concerns about MP’s pay and MP’s pay rises especially as so many people are going through a cost-of-living crisis.

“But as people know the process was taken out of MP’s hands after the expenses scandal that came about at the end of the last Labour government.”

The increase now takes MP’s total pay to £91,346.

Yasmin Qureshi MP (Image: Office of Yasmin Qureshi MP)

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi said that she felt money would be better used to support work in her constituencies.

But she felt the it was right that MPs did not set their own pay.

Ms Qureshi said: “Pay rises are set by an independent body, Ipsa, which I think it the right thing to do. Handing over the decision making to an independent body takes it out of the hands of politicians.

“I realise I am in a privileged position.

“If I had the choice, I would like to see less paid directly to me but more paid to support my work in the constituency and to pay my staff.”

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority said the decision had been taken in line with the award recently agreed for the senior civil service.

This was larger than the 2.9 per cent pay uplift last year, when the watchdog said it had “considered very carefully” the “extremely difficult” backdrop amid the cost-of-living crisis.

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It is also higher than the rate of Consumer Prices Index inflation, which latest Office for National Statistics figures suggest stood at four per cent in January.

Ipsa chair Richard Lloyd, chair of Ipsa, said: “Ipsa has been responsible for deciding MPs’ pay since 2011. Since then, our aim has been to make fair decisions on pay, both for MPs and the public.

“Serving as an MP should not be reserved to those wealthy enough to fund it themselves. We believe our decision recognises the vital role MPs play in our democracy and considers the continued economic challenges facing the country.

“We are committed to supporting a Parliament that reflects our society, where people from all walks of life can decide to become MPs.”