Russell: I’ll use pay rise to run my office (From Gazette)

Russell: I’ll use pay rise to run my office

8:00pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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COLCHESTER MP Bob Russell has vowed to use his parliamentary pay rise to help run his constituency office.

MPs are set to receive a salary increase of nearly £1,000-a-year after a decision by an independent body.

The Senior Salaries Review Board said a 1.5 per cent rise in MPs’ salaries would take effect from April 1, bringing their basic pay to £65,737 a year.

Mr Russell said: “I will see if I can defer that money into office costs. I would rather that money be moved to assist with financing my work as an MP.

“I don’t think MPs should get it. We have public sector workers on a pay freeze.”

Mr Russell stopped short of saying he would not accept the pay rise if he could not transfer the cash. He said: “I need to discuss it with my colleagues.”

Mr Russell defended Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg’s decision to leave it up to individual MPs to decide whether to accept the rise.

He said: “I think it should be left to the discretion of MPs, but I don’t think, in this climate, it can be justified.”

With the image of MPs at an all-time low following the expenses scandal, both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Tory leader David Cameron have said they would not be accepting the increase.

Last week, Mr Brown said he would freeze pay for doctors, dentists and hospital consultants, as well as senior managers across most of the public sector.

The Tories said, if they win the general election, they will impose a one-year pay freeze for four million public workers earning more than £18,000 in 2011.

North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin said he had not yet decided what he would do with the salary increase.

Clacton and Harwich MP Douglas Carswell did not wish to comment.