Politics

Stormont party leaders call for pay rise to be deferred

Parliament Buildings, Stormont
Parliament Buildings, Stormont Parliament Buildings, Stormont

The leaders of Stormont's five main parties have said they are opposed to the £1,000 pay rise awarded to MLAs and are to seek to have it deferred.

In a joint statement released this afternoon, the leaders of the DUP, Sinn Féin, SDLP, UUP and Alliance said news of the pay increase "came as a surprise to all parties" and they will jointly ask the Assembly Commission to defer it.

.The statement said: "We share the broad public dismay at this development, only a matter of days after the assembly and institutions have been fully restored.

“We have had a range of concerns over time around recommendations emerging from the Independent Financial Review Panel.

“We are jointly asking the Assembly Commission that any pay proposal is immediately deferred until the work of the Financial Review Panel has been comprehensively reviewed, and a new panel has the opportunity to consider this matter again and produce a fresh determination.

Earlier today, Sinn Féin and the DUP confirmed their MLAs will not accept the £1,000 pay rise.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill had said the salary increase is 'unjustifiable'.

It was revealed yesterday that assembly members' salaries are to increase from £49,500 to £50,500.

Last night, Ms O'Neill, who is Sinn Féin's leader in the north, posted on Twitter that MLAs "had no input into this decision, nor did they seek it.

"Given that the assembly has just been restored this is unjustifiable and should not be paid," she said.

The SDLP confirmed its 12 MLAs would not keep the pay rise:

Sinn Féin and the DUP also confirmed this morning that none of its MLAs will accept the pay rise:

Yesterday, west Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll said the pay increase was "a slap in the face" to nurses who recently went on strike to achieve pay parity with health workers in England.

The People Before Profit leader only takes home around half of his entitled salary, with the remainder being diverted into party funds.

"The fact that MLAs are back in post just over a week and are having their wages topped up will no doubt come as a slap in the face to nurses who stood on freezing pickets for months for pay parity, and the Civil Service staff who are still taking industrial action to get what they deserve," said Mr Carroll.

"People Before Profit have always advocated for MLAs to be paid an average worker's wage - it's what I take home.

"How can MLAs receive a salary that is around double the average wage and claim to competently represent their constituents' interests when their financial realities are so different?"

An assembly spokeswoman said: "Following the formation of an Executive on 11 January 2020, the full provisions of the Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016 are in effect, including the provisions for an annual uprating."

She added: "The current annual salary payable as a member is £50,500."

A Sinn Féin spokesperson said: "MLAs' pay is set by an independent body, not by MLAs.

"MLAs had no input into this decision, nor did they seek it."