WYRE Forest’s MP says now is “the worst time” for an independent body to recommend a £6,000 MPs’ pay rise.

Conservative Mark Garnier was responding to a report by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which has recommended salaries should increase to £74,000 by 2015 but some allowances should be cut and pensions made less generous.

When asked whether he would accept a pay rise, Mr Garnier, said it was “absolutely right” MPs should have no say in their pay and terms and added it could set a “dangerous precedent” if MPs did not abide by the IPSA’s final ruling.

Mr Garnier said: “This is the wrong time for the IPSA to be proposing a pay rise for MPs. There is never a right time but this seems to be the worst time.

“My motivation for being an MP has nothing to do with money. There are many, many MPs who took pay cuts when they got elected and I was one of them. I do the job because I enjoy it and want to make a contribution to serving the community.

“There are questions going round about whether an MP would turn down any pay rise. I think this sets a very dangerous precedent and my feeling is that whatever the outcome of the consultation, all MPs should abide by the ruling of the IPSA.

“It would not be fair for rich MPs to put pressure on those who may have financial pressures by refusing a pay rise. Self-determination of pay becomes too confusing and starts the return to elitism.

“It also sets an appalling precedent at elections - imagine if the decision to vote for a candidate became about how much they would pay themselves and not about what they would do for the community they seek to serve.”

The independent body will consult people on the rise but MPs cannot block it because they handed control of the decision to the IPSA after it was widely accepted politicians’ ability to determine their own pay played a part in the 2009 expenses scandal.

Mr Garnier said: “My advice is that everyone who has any thoughts about this should submit to the consultation via the IPSA website.”

Party leaders have criticised the recommendation and education secretary Michael Gove said the rise should “absolutely not” go ahead. In January, however, when all MPs were asked anonymously by the IPSA, 66 per cent said they thought the deserved a pay rise.

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