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All in this together? Now MPs demand a 32% pay increase as �65,000 they earn 'is not enough'

Anonymous survey by expenses watchdog reveals extraordinary demand to earn three times the average salary
Tories want the most - �97,000 - but just one MP wants less than �40,000
MPs currently earn �65,738 but politicians want �86,250
Critics say they are 'in cloud cuckoo land'

By Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor and Jason Groves

PUBLISHED: 16:43, 10 January 2013 | UPDATED: 02:59, 11 January 2013

MPS are demanding a 32 per cent pay rise, after complaining they cannot live on �65,000 a year.

A survey reveals 69 per cent believe they are �underpaid� following the introduction of a new expenses regime that forces them to provide receipts for all claims.

On average they said they deserved to be paid �86,250 a year � an increase of almost �21,000.

One in 12 said MPs deserved a salary of more than �100,000 and just 6 per cent said they were paid too much.

One MP thought their pay should be less than �40,000 but most wanted big rises One MP thought their pay should be less than �40,000 but most wanted big rises

Only 15 per cent thought MPs should be forced to swap their gold-plated pensions for defined contribution schemes.

And more than half thought they should hang on to their controversial �golden goodbye� payments, even if they quit voluntarily. A separate survey of members of the public found most think MPs are already paid too much.

On average they suggested MPs� pay should be cut by more than �5,000.

The studies were commissioned by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which is reviewing whether MPs� pay should be changed from its current level of �65,738.

The watchdog said it was not proposing to introduce performance-related pay, regional pay or to take outside earnings into account.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said there was a �real danger� good calibre people would be deterred from standing for Parliament because of the level of pay. He suggested the �vast majority� of the public did not consider �65,000 to be a lot of money.

Mr Bridgen said many people on the Tory benches had taken a pay cut to enter Parliament, adding: �Are they going to look their children in the eye at Christmas and say they can�t have what they normally have because mummy or daddy wants to be an MP?�

The survey revealed differences between the parties, with Conservatives the most likely to believe they are underpaid.

On average, Tories said their salary should be �96,740, while Lib Dems thought the right amount was �78,361 and Labour �77,322.

A spokesman for David Cameron said: �The Prime Minister believes MPs� pay is a matter for Ipsa.�

Union leaders and tax campaigners condemned the call in the week when MPs voted to cap rises in benefits to just one per cent.
PLEASE SIR, CAN I HAVE SOME MORE? MPs DEMAND EXTRA PAY

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority expenses watchdog asked pollsters YouGov to survey MPs to ask them if they thought �65,738 was enough for their salary.

And they suggested what they thought they should be paid instead. Here are the results, broken down by party:

Tories �96,740

Labour �77,322

Lib Dems �78,361

Others �75,091

One MP said they should be paid �40,000 or less.

Ipsa also confirmed that it is not proposing to introduce performance-related pay, regional pay or to take outside earnings into account.

Chairman Sir Ian Kennedy said: �In the past, MPs have agreed their pay and pensions among themselves. So this new approach of independent decision-making marks a real and important change and is another crucial step in helping Parliament to regain the trust of the public.

�The consultation we held over the autumn has been hugely informative and important in directing our thinking. It also serves to show the spread of views and depth of feeling on this issue.

�We remain committed to listening and I would urge people to get involved in this debate.�

The watchdog will put firm proposals out for consultation in the spring, with final decisions likely to be taken in the autumn.

YouGov conducted online interviews with 100 MPs on Ipsa's behalf, and weighted the results slightly to represent the Commons by party, gender, year elected, and geography.

Conservatives were the most likely to believe they were underpaid, with 47 per cent saying that was the case. Some 39 per cent of Labour members and 9 per cent of Lib Dems held the same view.

On average, Tories said their salary should be �96,740, while Lib Dems thought the right amount was �78,361 and Labour �77,322. Other parties put the figure at �75,091.

One MP said they should be paid �40,000 or less. Some 5 per cent said �60-65,000 was fair, and 17% went for �65-�70,000.
Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, said a 'new approach' would stop MPs setting their own pay

Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, said a 'new approach' would stop MPs setting their own pay

A fifth of those questioned said they should be paid �95,000 or more.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: �Hiking politician's wages at a time of pay freezes, benefit caps and necessary spending cuts would be completely unpalatable to taxpayers.

�To do so would suggest that there is one rule for MPs and another for the rest of the country. There is zero appetite for a pay rise for MPs as borne out by the polling of the public commissioned by Ipsa.

�Most people clearly think that an MP's salary is currently about right.�

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: �At a time when millions of workers are getting zero pay rises, the idea that MPs believe they deserve a 32 per cent increase is living in cloud cuckoo land.

�MPs should get real about pay, this shows they are totally out of touch with working people. How can they think that they deserve a 32 per cent increase when the rest of the country is being told to tighten their belts?

�No wonder this research is anonymous, it shows real contempt for the plight of families across the country struggling to make ends meet.�

These PIGS WITH THERE HEADS IN THE MONEY TROUGH should be made to live on the national wage, no expenses, no second homes at our expense, no pensions after all they were not forced to stand for the job, it was a career move for the lazy bastards.