News from London Assembly Labour

London’s Labour politicians forego allowance rise

* Labour members of the Metropolitan Police Authority forego 2.6 per cent rise in their allowances.
* Politicians of other parties urged to show same restraint.
* Contrast with Conservative-run London Fire Authority pay rises.

Labour members of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) have today written to the authority’s chief executive Catharine Crawford to reject a 2.6 per cent increase in their annual allowances, arguing it’s “the only appropriate thing to do in the current economic climate”.

Joanne McCartney, Jennette Arnold and John Biggs – all London Assembly members – took the decision in light of the two-year pay freeze announced for public sector workers. The scheduled rise was due to go ahead this year as it was agreed before the pay-freeze was announced in the April budget.

Last month Boris Johnson refused to criticise Conservative members of the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority LFEPA when they voted to award themselves a 25 per cent pay rise and voted down a proposal from Labour members to forego the increase.

LFEPA Chair Brian Coleman saw his allowance go up £900 to £26,833 just days after George Osborne’s budget, which the chancellor insisted showed “we’re all in it together”. When asked about the apparent hypocrisy of his Tory colleagues, Boris Johnson praised Brian Coleman for finding savings at LFEPA. Coleman, who was appointed by Boris Johnson in 2008, earns over £100k a year for his various local government roles.

In a letter to the MPA’s chief executive today, Labour’s policing spokesperson Joanne McCartney wrote: I am writing to you on behalf of the Labour MPA members to let you know that we would like to forego the allowance rise; we feel that this is the only appropriate thing to do in the current economic climate.

Joanne McCartney said: “People are struggling and are set to struggle a lot more under the government’s plans to cut services, raise prices and freeze wages. Politicians should not be immune from this and should show restraint when, unlike most people, they are in a position to take a decision on changes to their pay.”

Other news from London Assembly Labour

• TfL reports another huge operating surplus of £310m – it's time to cut the fares - 2 February 2012
• Murder detection rates down 10% in London as police numbers fall - 2 February 2012
• Christine Quigley becomes latest London Assembly Labour candidate - 1 February 2012