Bob Laxton MP urges colleagues to support a 1.9% pay increase to match Nurses and Police.

 -MP rejects suggested 2.56% figure from Senior Salaries Review Body 

MP for Derby North Bob Laxton, is urging fellow East Midlands MP’s to support the lower 1.9% MPs pay increase rather than the 2.56% recommended by the SSRB.  

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already called for MPs to lead by example and vote for a lower pay increase as means of keeping a check on inflation.  

MPs will be given a free vote next Thursday but, due to parliamentary commitments, Bob will be unable to attend the vote.

However, even though he will not be able to vote in person, he wants to state his categorical support for the lower pay increase.  

Bob said:  “Nurses and police in Derby have already been asked to accept a lower pay offer and if they have then it is only right that I do the same. Our public sector employees do a fantastic job and if MPs voted for a bigger pay increase then it would send the wrong message. 

In all honesty, I don’t think that MPs should vote on their pay at all. Employees don’t usually get to decide their own pay rises so neither should MPs. There should be an independent body that decides what MPs get paid. If this was the case it would totally avoid difficult situations like this. 

I want to see all our public sector workers get a fair pay deal but if high inflation exists in the economy then pay rises would become worthless. I hope that many disappointed employees can understand the difficult decisions the Government have taken to try and ensure we all continue to benefit from a stable economy. In my view the least that MPs can do is follow suit. ”