Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs should get a pay cut, not a pay rise

British MPs are about to receive an inflation-busting 5% pay rise, justified by an apparent increase in their workload and a hostile working environment.

Whether the ~£98k a year salary reflects the importance and responsibility of the job parliamentarians do is debatable but what isn’t in question is that MPs elected in England have far more responsibility than MPs elected in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and an increased workload to match.

It is estimated that between two thirds and three quarters of Westminster business is devolved, meaning that only MPs elected in England should be debating and voting on it. Similarly, MPs elected in England represent their constituents on every single aspect of their lives whereas MPs elected in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only represent their constituents on reserved matters.

So why are the MPs for Livingston, Llanelli and Lagan Valley paid the same as the MP for Lichfield when they have no jurisdiction over health, social care, education, justice, policing, tourism, the environment, housing, planning, transport, local government and devolved taxation?

Let’s give MPs elected in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland a 25% pay cut and use some of the money saved to pay for a Secretary of State for England so that at least one member of the UK Parliament represents England’s interests.