Woolas helps curb MPs’ big pay rise

MPs bowed to pressure last night and rejected a backbench move to award themselves an inflation-busting pay rise next year.

The move would have seen a rise of about 2.3 per cent this year and then about 4 per cent the year after but it was defeated by 196 votes to 155 — with the help of an Oldham MP.

Oldham East and Saddleworth Phil Woolas voted against the increase. Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher and Ashton MP David Heyes did not vote.

An independent review by Sir John Baker had recommended that MPs’ pay be linked to the public sector average earnings index and include a £650-a-year “catch-up” payment but the Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for them to show restraint.

Mr Woolas said: “Being an MP put you in a very difficult position because we vote for our own pay and the buck stops here.

“We have a responsibility to be prudent. I appreciate that MPs are well paid. In my experience 99 per cent are very diligent and work hard, it is the other one per cent that give MPs a bad name.”

MPs earn £61,181 a year and last night they backed plans for a 2.25 per cent pay rise for this year and agreed to link future increases to those given to other public sector workers like doctors and teachers, making it the last time they will debate and vote on their own pay.

Ministerial salary increases have already been scrapped.

But MPs rejected calls to tighten up their much-criticised £24,000 “second home” expenses.

They voted down the recommendations of a Commons review that would have stopped them buying household goods from the so-called “John Lewis list”. It also means MPs will still be able to spend £400 a month on food shopping without receipts — and claim for items up to £25 without any proof of purchase.