Northampton MP hopeful vows to donate a tenth of his wages to charity

Northampton South candidate Gareth Eales made the announcement after the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) proposed giving elected politicians a 2.7 per cent pay rise from April, taking the basic salary close to £80,000.

MP pay will have risen by nearly £14,000 since April 2010, yet Parliamentary staff are to receive a below inflation pay rise of 1.5 per cent and public sector workers, such as those at Northamptonshire County Council, are in the grip of a pay freeze.

More than 200 MP's have now written to the Chair of IPSA asking them to review the pay rise.

Mr Eales has now pledged never to accept an above-inflation pay-rise and says he would donate 10 per cent of his salary to a charity or Northampton based causes.

“It is an outrage that MPs are being treated more favourably, but it is also interesting that none of our local MP’s have signed up to the letter sent to IPSA," he said.

The wages would go into a charitable fund that would be managed independently, he said, and people in Northampton would then get to decide how it is spent.

The Labour hopeful has also promised not to take a second job if he is elected.

"I offer these pledges in good faith and I hope to be given the opportunity to deliver upon them, should the people of Northampton South elect me at the next General Election,” he added.

The General Election is scheduled to be held on May 5, 2022.