MPs won't get a £3,000 pay rise next year after the decision was reversed

MPs in the House of Commons will not be awarded a pay rise for the coming year.

The decision by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is a reverse of an announcement in October, which said MPs could be set for a £3,000 pay rise.

‘Pay rise would not reflect the reality that many constituents are facing”

In a notice issued by the IPSA to all parliamentarians, the body said it would be unfair to increase MPs’ wages at a time of economic turmoil and struggle for so many constituents around the country.

The statement said, “The unprecedented impact of the Covid pandemic has had an unexpected, but different, effect on public and private sector earnings.

“It is clear that applying the forthcoming official statistic for public sector earnings growth would result in a salary increase for MPs that would be inconsistent with the wider economic data and would not reflect the reality that many constituents are facing this year.”

More than 50 MPs had already called for the increase in wages to be cancelled.

How much do MPs get paid?

MPs currently have a basic salary of £81,932 a year, with those who are chairs of select committees receiving an additional £16,422.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the average wages in the UK have fallen in real terms this year.

Richard Loyd, IPSA's interim chairman, said, "The unprecedented impact of the Covid pandemic has had an unexpected, but different, effect on public and private sector earnings.

"It is clear that applying the forthcoming official statistic for public sector earnings growth would result in a salary increase for MPs that would be inconsistent with the wider economic data and would not reflect the reality that many constituents are facing this year."

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