Our MPs are again in the limelight, not for doing something good for the benefit of the country. Even while the scandal of the expenses claims by some MPs has not yet subsided, their pay and expenses body, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has recommended a10% pay rise for them taking their salaries from £67,000 to £74,000. This is despite objections from the major party leaders including the prime minister who has appealed to the IPSA to abandon it plans and said in a letter that the planned rise was "not appropriate". The government had opposed the suggestion that there should be a pay rise of this nature even when the recommendation was first made.
The increase would be wholly unacceptable coming at a time when many public sector workers have had either their pay frozen or will have to make do with a meagre 1% pay rise. While others in the Civil Service and elsewhere have to suffer the powers that be will see their standard of living go up a notch or two. The government has also ended the age-related tax allowances for pensioners. It has phased out the higher income tax allowance enjoyed by around half the country's pensioners. This is fundamentally unfair.The income tax allowance of the over 65s must also be raised in line with the rate of inflation.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
