Hampshire police angry at 'outrageous' MP pay rise for work in pandemic as officers 'spat at' get nothing

All MPs will get a £2,212 pay hike on April 1, seeing an MP's basic salary go up to £84,144 a year.

But police are furious after claiming an officer’s pay has fallen in real terms by 20 per cent behind the cost of living in the last 10 years.

Unlike nurses and firefighters, police officers were given no pay rise in 2021.

With household bills set to rise sharply and National Insurance is going up in April the picture is bleak for officers.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which sets MP salaries, said politicians responsibilities ‘dramatically increased’ during the pandemic.

Zoe Wakefield, chair of Hampshire Police Federation, said: ‘It is outrageous for MPs to be receiving a 2.7 per cent pay rise for the extra work they did during the pandemic when police officers received nothing.

‘Police officers continued to work during the entirety of the pandemic; putting themselves and their families at risk, being assaulted, spat at and coughed at while imposing the legislation brought in by this government at very short notice. This did not warrant any pay rise, so I am confused as to what risk MPs took during the pandemic?

‘My members will be disgusted and angry at this announcement. It is yet another example of betrayal by this government.’

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