BBC Question Time: Dad of disabled daughter skewers Labour minister over ‘awkward’ MP pay | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A Treasury minister has admitted MP pay rises are “awkward” after he got here beneath hearth from the daddy of a disabled girl apprehensive about profit cuts. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, was criticised on BBC Question Time by an viewers member whose 18-year-old daughter is unable to work due to her incapacity.

The father mentioned: “I’m speaking as someone with a disabled daughter. She’s 18 now. The cuts that you’re all talking about, where is it going to come from? The rich? Or is it going to affect the poor? It’s going to affect the poor. I say that because my daughter, who as I said is 18, heard in the news this week that these cuts are coming. How is that going to affect her? How is that going to affect everybody that suffers from those kinds of disabilities?

“Yet she’s also heard that the MPs are going to get a 2.8% raise on their salaries. How does that justify? You’re taking it from my daughter and you put it in your pocket. That’s how she sees it.”

MPs are to obtain an inflation-busting 2.8% pay rise this yr – taking their wages to nearly £94,000.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), arrange within the wake of the 2009 bills scandal, mentioned the transfer would mirror the “vital role” of MPs.

Mr Jones mentioned: “People that need help are going to get it in the system.”

But BBC presenter Fiona Bruce interjected to say he would be getting more money, but the audience member’s daughter would be getting less.

The man in the audience continued: “How is it that you can get a pay rise but it’s going to be taken away from them?”

Mr Jones: “By the sounds of it, your daughter will continue to be supported and that’s what the system is there to do.

“To answer your question on pay rises, across the public sector … we have to come to an agreement around what payrises are for public sector workers. For MPs, that’s not a decision I take as a minister or we take as MPs. It’s taken independently by Parliament with reference to what’s happening in the rest of the economy.”

But Ms Bruce interrupted to ask whether or not it’s “awkward” amid the Government’s sweeping welfare cuts.

Mr Jones responded: “Yes.”

A large £6.4billion shall be reduce from the well being and incapacity advantages invoice by 2029-30, evaluation by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) prompt.