BOLTON’S three MPs have blasted plans to raise their pay by nine per cent next year.

The chief executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) Marcial Boo said the salary of MPs had "fallen behind" others working in similar public sector roles, and should be increased from £67,000 to £74,000.

His suggestions has attracted criticism from the leaders of the three main political parties and union bosses, who said a pay increase is inappropriate when people are suffering with austerity measures.

David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East, slammed the proposals, but said there needed to be a rehaul of the way expenses and salaries were calculated.

He said: “As things stand, when people are still suffering austerity and cuts in living standards, it is really inappropriate to increase Members of Parliament’s pay.

“For the government to try and justify the bedroom tax and suggest MPs get a pay increase of nine per cent is completely unacceptable.

“I do think that the expenses system should be completely reorganised – for example, the members allowance for living in London needs to be dealt with in a much more sensible way than a tax free lump sum.

“It is difficult to find the right formula, but whatever you do in a democracy you have to find a formula that the public agree with, and this is not it.”

Following the expenses scandal in 2009 MPs are no longer in charge of setting their own pay, and watchdog IPSA will conduct another review of the pay rise after the 2015 election.

Under the plans MPs will pay more into their pensions, and see the end of ‘resettlement’ payments – which can be up to £65,000 – for members who lose their seats.

Prime Minister David Cameron earns £142,500 a year, less than the chief executive of Bolton Council Sean Harriss who earns £170,000.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton south east, said she opposed the reforms but the recommendations of the independent body needed to be taken into account.

She said: “Clearly these are economically difficult times, and I think it does seem to be wrong.

“But then if an independent body, which was set up to decide exactly what the pay should be, I think we should listen to them.

“I have always said that if there is a reason for pay to be less, that’s fine, and if it’s more than it’s fine too.

“As I understand it will mean MPs paying more into their pensions, so in the long term we are not gong to be better off – it’s making the pay better regulated and bringing the pension scheme and pay in line with other public sector workers.”

Julie Hilling, MP for Bolton West, said: “I, like all Labour MPs, have said it is unacceptable for a rise at this time of austerity.

“When pay for public sector workers is being held down, then MPs should not get a pay increase.

“MPs do not have a vote on their own pay and do not set the salary, and this is going to come back to review after the next election and MPs will work to stop it going through at this time.

“The issue is very much about timing – there is an argument for pay to be raised – however the time to raise it isn’t when others in the public sector have only a one per cent increase or pay freeze.”