MPs today risked a public outcry by launching a massive campaign to increase their £34,000 a year salary.

Almost half the Commons 650 MPs have signed a Commons Motion asking for the question of members and ministers pay to be referred to the Nolan Committee on standards in public life immediately with the aim of producing a recommendation by April 30.

Although the Motion does not specify any figures, some Tories backing it want to see some of it doubled or even trebled.

Currently British MPs are paid much less than their overseas counterparts with American politicians getting more than £90,000 and German and French ones around £50,000.

But East Lancashire MPs backing the call to refer members' pay to Nolan were swift to distance themselves from calls for a massive salary increase.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson, Hyndburn's Greg Pope, Burnley's Peter Pike and Pendle's Gordon Prentice, have all signed the motion. But Mr Pike and Mr Pope were quick to say today that they did not support doubling MPs salaries.

They want the whole question of MPs' pay taken away from the Commons and given to an outside body.

But one senior Tory sponsoring the Motion, Sir Terence Higgins, made it clear that he favoured a big pay rise. The announcement that Energy Minister Mr Tim Eggar, is to stand down at the next election to start a second career in business, is being cited by Sir Terence's supporters as further evidence as where a pay rise is needed.

Sir Terence said: "This Motion reflects the fact that over the last 30 years, average real incomes in the country as a whole have risen by more than 80 per cent. MP's pay has not risen at all in real terms and ministers pay has more than halved." Although MPs can get up to £70,000 in allowances for office accommodation, staff and trouble, many were horrified to learn earlier this month that there were 114 Commons employees earning more than they do. In a written answer to Labour's George Foulkes it was revealed that a senior clerk earns almost £100,000, the Sergeant at Arms gets £66,000 and even Hansard sub editors get £41,162.

Mr Pope said it was wrong and unseemly that every year MPs voted on their own pay.

He said: "We want it taken out of MPs hands. Nothing does more harm to MPs reputations that the spectacle of voting on their own pay.

"It was infantile of the government to break the link with civil service pay and freeze MPs pay three years ago.

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