Exclusive
Grant Shapps: MPs 'shouldn't get pay rise' if public sector workers don't
24 November 2020, 10:55 | Updated: 24 November 2020, 11:47
"I do not support MPs getting a pay rise": Grant Shapps
MPs should not get a pay rise if public sector workers have their salaries frozen, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has told LBC.
Appearing on Nick Ferrari's Call the Cabinet show, the Conservative politician told the presenter he does not support a pay increase for MPs.
It comes amid talks of a possible public sector pay freeze being included in Chancellor Rishi Sunak's spending review on Wednesday.
Mr Shapps said "we don't know" what will happen to the salaries of those working in the public sector and refused to comment on whether he believed they should be frozen.
"I do not support MPs getting a pay rise if indeed it turns out that others (in the public sector) do not," he said.
"We'll have to wait and see if that's the case, but I will personally give any pay rise I get to charity."
He added that it is not MPs who decide their salaries but rather an independent body.
Nick then asked whether callers, such as rail worker Patrick who rang to speak with Mr Shapps, deserve a pay rise.
"I think Patrick's probably done a phenomenal job from what he's said," the transport secretary replied.
"I don't know exactly what he does on the railways, but what I do know is that we have supported Patrick and the railways with £10 billion of taxpayers' money during this crisis because the number of passengers has dropped."
However, he repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether public sector workers deserve to see their pay frozen, instead choosing to leave the issue to the chancellor to address in Wednesday's spending review.
