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20/08/2009
'Double Pay' MP Clarifies Stance
A senior Tory MP has moved to clarify his suggestion that Parliamentary salaries should be doubled.
Sir Patrick Cormack had said MPs' salaries should be increased from £64,766 to £130,000, allowing for the complete abolition of Westminster expenses.
However, a Conservative officially today made it clear Sir Patrick's views were entirely personal and were not reflective of the party's position.
Sir Patrick stood over his comments but claimed they has been taken out of context.
He put forward the idea at Committee on Standards in Public Life meeting in May.
The South Staffordshire MP said: "I thought the tidiest solution for all this nonsense would be to abolish all personal allowances completely, travel, the lot and roll it up in the salary.
"But I went on to say that this would mean almost doubling the salary and because of the pension and other implications I didn't think this would therefore be acceptable.
"I then went on to spell out what I thought should be done to the allowances."
He also said second homes should be rented rather than bought.
Sir Patrick said in the current economic climate it would not be "practical or acceptable" to increase MPs' pay.
However, he said he still believes eliminating expenses is one means of restoring public confidence in Westminster.
(PR/BMcC)
Sir Patrick Cormack had said MPs' salaries should be increased from £64,766 to £130,000, allowing for the complete abolition of Westminster expenses.
However, a Conservative officially today made it clear Sir Patrick's views were entirely personal and were not reflective of the party's position.
Sir Patrick stood over his comments but claimed they has been taken out of context.
He put forward the idea at Committee on Standards in Public Life meeting in May.
The South Staffordshire MP said: "I thought the tidiest solution for all this nonsense would be to abolish all personal allowances completely, travel, the lot and roll it up in the salary.
"But I went on to say that this would mean almost doubling the salary and because of the pension and other implications I didn't think this would therefore be acceptable.
"I then went on to spell out what I thought should be done to the allowances."
He also said second homes should be rented rather than bought.
Sir Patrick said in the current economic climate it would not be "practical or acceptable" to increase MPs' pay.
However, he said he still believes eliminating expenses is one means of restoring public confidence in Westminster.
(PR/BMcC)
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