MPs should get pay rise to attract best, says Lord Foulkes

Published on Wednesday 15 April 2009 22:01

A SENIOR Scottish Labour figure has sparked a new row over MPs' pay by claiming that they do not get enough.

Lord George Foulkes, a former UK minister now an MSP for the Lothians, has been accused of being "out of touch" with the public mood after demanding that politicians get a pay rise.

In a column for The Scotsman's sister paper the Evening News, he also attacked those who have criticised the high expenses claimed by MPs.

"If you believe what you read and hear in the media you will think every MP is pocketing, or trousering to use the awful new word, up to 150,000 on top of their salary," Lord Foulkes wrote.

"The truth is that the largest part of these expenses are to pay staff and run offices in the constituency providing a service for constituents."

He added: "Democracy is beyond price. In order to get the right people to stand, they need to be properly paid so we can attract people from all backgrounds. The current level of pay will not do that. If we pay peanuts, it is not surprising that we end up with some monkeys."

The SNP have claimed it proves Lord Foulkes is out of touch.

SNP MSP Ian McKee said: "These comments are astonishing in these hard economic times. While many of his constituents in Lothian are facing the potential loss of their jobs in the financial, industry Lord Foulkes remarks are way out of touch."