MPs to get £7,600 pay rise - despite David Cameron saying an increase would be 'unthinkable'

The move, to be announced this week by the Independent ­Parliamentary Standards Authority, means the salary of an MP will soon be £74,000 a year

Payrise: MPs will soon get £7,600 a year more

MPs are set to get a massive pay rise of £7,600 despite PM David Cameron previously describing the hike as "unthinkable".

The Independent ­Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) will cause fury this week by enforcing an 11 per cent rise to £74,000.

But the watchdog will also announce a squeeze on MPs' pensions, travel and meal perks to cancel out the £4.6million cost of the rise.

Tory Charles Walker moaned: "It is important MPs should be able to travel safely after a late vote."

Mathew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance campaign group, said: "Taxpayers will be furious that the pay rise comes at a time when MPs urge public pay restraint and the Chancellor tells us he can't afford to ease the burden of taxes on hard-pressed households and businesses.

"Ipsa's own polling and research shows that the current level of pay to be broadly fair and that the public simply do not back the increase.

"This announcement amounts to an unaccountable quango putting up two fingers to taxpayers.

"The rise must be rejected."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "MPs' pay is a matter for Ipsa.

The Government has submitted its views to Ipsa as part of the body's consultation on MPs' pay.

"It made it clear that, while Ipsa is an independent body set up by Parliament, in future decisions on remuneration it expects Ipsa to take into account the Government's wider approach to public service pay and pensions.

"We believe that the cost of politics should be going down, not up."

Mirror