RIBBLE Valley's Nigel Evans has said the only way that MPs should receive a pay increase is by slashing their numbers.

If the 651 members of the House of Commons were reduced, the cash saved could provide a salary increase without costing the tax payer a penny.

The Tory backbencher condemned a proposal being considered by the Senior Salaries Review Board to increase MPs' pay by 30 per cent to £45,000 starting in the summer.

Many retiring Tory MPs support the move as it would increase their pensions. But Mr Evans said: "I am not in favour of such a massive pay hike. When we see most people getting a two or three per cent pay rise or even having their pay frozen, any suggestion of a 30 per cent rise is quite obscene.

"There are already far too many MPs and we are going to see an additional increase at the next election. What we need to do is cut the numbers. This will allow the Salaries Review Board to increase individual members' pay without putting any additional burden on the tax payer.

"What I am in favour of, however, is an increase in the amount an MP receives to run his office.

"An MP's workload has increased massively in the last few years and it is absolutely vital that we are given the resources we need to run an office both at Westminster and in the constituency."

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