MPs demanding a 100 per cent pay rise can expect minimal public sympathy. They claim average wages across other sectors have risen by 80 per cent in 30 years, while theirs has stood still.

They point to much higher salaries for US congressmen, French, Italian, German and Japanese MPs. And they claim their annual £34,000 salary may not be enough to attract candidates of "sufficient ability and integrity".

Yet pay in some sectors has actually fallen over 30 years, never mind standing still. And although many foreign MPs enjoy higher salaries, it's worth considering that our own receive an extra £42,000 office allowance and, for those living outside London, £11,000 subsistence.

Many members of the "salaried classes" would regard such remuneration covetously.

With Labour MPs slagging off "fat-cat" utility bosses, and the Government set to continue its stringent pay curbs on public sector workers, our elected representatives should take care they are not perceived as hypocrites.

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