New salary for MPs revealed as politicians get a pay rise while teachers and nurses strike over salary

MPs are set to rake in an extra £2,440 per year.

The independent pay body for politicians will hike salaries by 2.9% from April 1.

It will bring overall MPs' salaries from £84,144 to an eye-catching £86,584.

The below-inflation hike is on par with average pay rises for the public sector last year.

But it's sparked fury among tax justice campaigners who say “politicians’ pay should not be pegged to generous public sector rises".

And it comes as thousands of nurses, ambulance workers, rail staff and teachers have threatened to continue striking over pay and working conditions.

Unions want inflation busting hikes of over 10%.

But Rishi Sunak insists that's unaffordable and would only make inflation worse.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Working taxpayers will wonder why MPs' pay is going up in these tough times.

“Politicians’ pay should not be pegged to generous public sector rises. 

 “Parliament should instead introduce performance-related pay for politicians.”

Defending the hike, Richard Lloyd, Chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, added: “In confirming MPs pay for next year, we have once again considered very carefully the extremely difficult economic circumstances, the government’s evolving approach to public sector pay in the light of forecasted rates of inflation, and the principle that MPs’ pay should be reflective of their responsibility in our democracy.

“Our aim is to ensure that pay is fair for MPs, regardless of their financial circumstances, to support the most diverse of parliaments.

" Serving as an MP should not be the preserve of those wealthy enough to fund it themselves."

News of a pay rise comes as MPs could return to pandemic-style remote working in September.

Commons authorities are mulling forcing politicians to work from home so they can repair the crumbling Westminster Palace.