LEIGH MP Andy Burnham has assured his constituents that he will not accept an 11 per cent pay rise.

MPs pay is expected to increase by £7,600 to £74,000 after next year's general election following an recommendation by the parliamentary watchdog Ipsa.

Mr Burnham said he will not take the pay rise and will donate any automatic rise to charities in his constituency.

He said: "At a time when people in my constituency are really struggling, when nurses and midwives are saying they can't even have a one per cent pay rise from the government I just can't justify in anyway taking an increase like this.

"So I have said very clearly that I won't accept it and I won't accept any increase either to be honest because it is not acceptable.

"Politics is already in a low enough esteem as it is and it seems like this is designed to finish it off.

"I am saying very clearly to my constituents - be in no doubt that I will not take this pay increase."

Ipsa does not need to get the agreement of Parliament to bring in the changes that it recommended in a report, released last year, following two public consultations.

"I'd rather the money was not paid at source, if you like, so that the money is not even paid to me and is then paid to other public sector work who have had years of pay freezes and now deserve a proper rise," he said.

"If I can't stop it which might be the case because the system is going to be set up to pay it then I will donate it to local charities, particularly foodbanks and other organisations working to help people through difficult times."

MPs’ annual salary is currently £67,060 for 2014-15, following a one per cent increase brought in on April 1 2014.