David Cameron warns MPs over their plan for £10k pay rise

A £10,000 pay rise for MPs would be “unthinkable” unless Parliament agrees further measures to cut the cost of politics, David Cameron has said. The MPs’ pay watchdog is expected to announce proposals for an inflation-busting 15 per cent increase in the basic salary of Westminster politicians, following a debate about their pay and perks.

Sir Ian Kennedy, head of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), is believed to favour a bigger rise – of £20,000 – “to bring MPs in line with other professionals”. The proposal for a £10,000 increase would be offset by reductions in the MPs’ generous pension entitlements. Mr Cameron said yesterday that he had demanded “restraint” from Ipsa – and made it clear that a pay rise would come at the expense of other cuts in the bill for the UK’s 650 MPs.

He said: “Ipsa asked our views and we gave our views – which were very much reflecting the current pay restraint.”