THE Scottish National Party MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has revealed he plans to give away at least some of his salary to charity after being awarded a 10 per cent pay rise.

MPs’ salaries will rise from £67,060 to £74,000, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has announced.

But, at a time when public sector workers are facing a pay freeze and some of the region’s most vulnerable are seeing their benefits being cut, local MP Calum Kerr claimed there was no justification for it.

IPSA chairman Sir Ian Kennedy said the pay rise would not cost any money because it was being combined with cuts to expenses, pension and severance payments for MPs.

The independent watchdog, set up to bring in and run a new expenses and pay system for MPs after the expenses scandal of 2009, says in future MPs’ pay would rise in line with average rises in the public sector.

Mr Kerr said: “At a time when we are suffering the brutal effects of austerity, the Tories are targeting the poor, the young and families and public sector workers are being limited to a one per cent pay rise, I don’t think there is any case whatsoever for MPs being given an increase of 10 per cent.” And, when asked what he planned to do with his pay rise, he added: “I’ll be donating every month to charities and local causes and I’m sure other SNP MPs will be doing exactly the same.” Tweeddale MP David Mundell, Scotland’s only Conservative MP, had not responded to our request at the time of going to press.

But a grassroots campaign for lower taxes, government transparency and an end to wasteful government spending has condemned the hike.

Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Just a week after the Chancellor rightly announced further pay restraint in the public sector, it is totally inappropriate for IPSA to be pushing forward with this pay hike.

“This unaccountable body is doing our MPs a great disservice: the invisible quangocrats at IPSA may have made this regrettable decision, but the public will inevitably direct their anger at their elected representatives in Parliament.

“We welcome the fact that IPSA has tied MPs’ future pay deals to public sector pay rather than average earnings across the economy as planned, but taxpayers will see that as little consolation.

“Make no mistake: IPSA’s decision to hand MPs a huge page rise is totally misguided, and the public won’t forget it.”