Evening Standard comment: MPs’ pay rise is at odds with the country

 
Evening Standard11 July 2013
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Most workers in the private or public sectors would be delighted with an 11 per cent pay increase. Pay rises are currently running at one per cent in the public sector or about two per cent in the private — in other words a real-terms cut; many are weathering a pay freeze.

Which makes it all the more remarkable that Parliament’s expenses watchdog, Ipsa, is recommending that MPs’ pay should increase 11 per cent from £66,000 to more than £70,000 a year from 2015. Though it is proposed that they will lose some pension and costs allowance, the overall cost of Parliament will rise as a result.

Their pay is already rising: MPs are currently paid £66,396 but that is due to climb to £67,060 in April 2014 and go up by a further one per cent the following year. Ipsa has let it be known that it would be wrong for the party leaders to stymie the move. Its head, Sir Ian Kennedy, says: “you do not tell the regulator what to do.” And duly Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said that he is against a pay increase but would not try to block it.

Yet Parliament is still sovereign, no matter what Sir Ian says, and it is within the rights of the Government, supported by the Opposition, to put the issue to a vote. Such a vote would be interesting, given that party leaders do seem realise how badly the pay rise will play in the country but behind them are backbenchers who seem to operate on the L’Oréal motto — that they’re worth it.

There is in fact something to be said for the principle that MPs should be given a larger salary in return for forgoing expenses and allowances, with London MPs getting less because they are close to Westminster. But timing is the important thing. The economy is still struggling and voters are under pressure. For MPs to enjoy a pay rise on this scale at this time looks like the height of arrogance. It further discredits the machinery of democracy. MPs are not badly paid. If they find a parliamentary salary inadequate, they shouldn’t stand for election.

Oyster issues

The extension of the Oyster card system to overground rail services was a welcome move to a more integrated transport system but it has its drawbacks. London Travel-watch, a public transport watchdog, reports that many passengers do not understand how the dual pink and yellow ticket reader system works. In particular, people have problems with journeys that are part rail and part Underground. If they do not use an Oyster card reader as they leave the overground rail system and then again as they enter the Underground, they may find themselves paying double the fare. London Travelwatch says the system should be simpler and more transparent.

The provision of more staff at interchanges between rail and Tube would help. So would notices reminding passengers that they may be overcharged if they do not check in and out. It does not help that so few rail station ticket machines allow passengers to see their fare history. Oyster users will feel that they are being exploited if they are overcharged for what should be a simple journey. TfL says it is making improvements: so it should.

America’s new man

The new US ambassador to the UK, Matthew Barzun, is young, reportedly tech-savvy and a noted Obama adviser. We look to him to uphold the vitality of the special relationship — and we hope he enjoys our city. Welcome to London, Mr Ambassador.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in