News

Keir Starmer says MPs’ £3,300 pay rise should go to key workers instead

The Labour leader wants to block the pay rise.

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2020

Alex Watson

LBC

Keir Starmer has said the £3,350 pay rise for Parliament MPs should go to key workers instead.

Last week it was confirmed that MPs will be getting up to a £3,500 pay rise on top of their £81,932 a year salary.

The news came from the independent body that defines MP’s wages, which explained their salaries should be linked to wage growth in the public sector, as with other years.

The Labour leader Keir Starmer argued that ‘we shouldn’t have it’, and suggested Parliament should block the move.

It’s being reported that the independent body that decides MPs’ pay will give MPs a £3,300 rise.

This shouldn't happen.

The pandemic has not only cost many lives but has created a deep social crisis.

If this pay rise goes ahead, I’ll give it to foodbanks here in East Leeds.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) October 10, 2020

Speaking on LBC Radio, he said: “I think this year of all years, people would say that money, if it’s available, should be spent on key workers, those who’ve been on the front line through this pandemic.”

He added that there should be cross-party talks on the matter, ‘because I suspect there’s lots of MP’s that feel it just isn’t right’.

However, Starmer did not explain how key workers would benefit from the extra money which totals to around £2.2 million.

If split equally between doctors, nurses and frontline police officers, it would amount to a £2.35 pay rise per year to key workers.

We can't afford a rise in the minimum wage for the key workers who kept the country running, but we can afford a £3,300 a year rise in pay for MP's.
This country is sick.
— Sir Norman. 💚 (@Normanjam67) October 9, 2020

In July, Rishi Sunak announced a 2020 comprehensive spending review which declared an above-inflation pay rise for the 900,00 public sector workers in the UK.

It would see a 2% rise for armed forces, 2.5% rise for police officers and a 3.1% rise for teachers in England.

Many people have taken to social media to express their disgust at a pay rise for MPs, with one person saying: “Instead of giving all our MP’s a pay rise, let’s all clap instead. Thursday at 8pm ok for you?”

New Zealand’s government is taking a pay cut “to close the gap”.

Our Government: 👇 https://t.co/XoBtTd9SbV
— Freddie (@FreddieBailey96) October 12, 2020

25 deaths 42,760 deaths pic.twitter.com/LNgK35rf2e
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) October 11, 2020

Others have pointed out the difference between the UK’s government response and other countries such as New Zealand, where Jacinda Ardern and ministers will take pay cuts ‘in solidarity with those hit by Covid-19’.

However, others have pointed out the difference in population size and the contribution this would have had on the success of controlling the virus among the two countries.

The exact rate of the MPs’ pay rise is yet to be confirmed, but it is ‘likely to exceed the rate of inflation’.