The Sunlight Centre has recieved a rapid response to our FOI request on Mr Speaker’s pay.  John Bercow’s total pay is £141,647.  His salary consists of £64,766 for his salary as an MP for Buckhingham and £79,754 for his salary for the office of speaker.  Both these rates are agreed by the House of Commons after having recieved advice from the Independent Senior Salaries Review Body.

Confusion has surrounded Bercow’s remuneration ever since he took the chair last month.  Michael Martin his predecessor had agreed to hold his pay at £141,868 along with cabinet ministers this year, in recognition of dire economic conditions that have left millions of private-sector workers facing cuts.  However, all backbench MPs – including Bercow – were given an extra 2.33% on their salaries in April.

The Speaker is entitled to a salary of £144, 520 but the former speaker Michael Martin held this pay at £141,868 last year. 

Although the new speaker John Bercow has taken a pay cut again from Michael Martin’s figure ending up with £141,647 it is only £221 less than what Michael Martin had previously proposed!  As John Bercow’s constituency is only in Buckingham where as Michael Martin’s constituency was in Glasgow surely the difference between Martin and Bercow in transport costs will make the £221 pay cut meaningless!

 Link to fund raising video.    

 

Published on July 23rd, 2009 by chris