THE Commons campaign that could see the salaries of MPs and Government ministers doubled was today dubbed as "ridiculous" by the people of East Lancashire.

If successful, the move would put a backbench MP on nearly £70,000 and a Cabinet minister on around £140,000 after the next election.

But Salvation Army man Brian Bleazard, 55, said the time for MPs to demand a pay rise would be when they got their policies in order.

Brian, of Hythe Close, Blackburn, added: "I think they are already over paid." Optician Philip Johnson, 22, from Langho, whose MP is Nigel Evans, added: "It is simply not on."

And mum Audrey Ball, of Dalby Crescent, Blackburn, said: "I think it's wrong. We can't even have rises in line with inflation and they say they can't live within their means."

Rita Furnhill, a cleaner, said she had received just a one and a half per cent pay rise this year.

Rita, 57, from Shadsworth, Blackburn added: "It won't make any difference what we think - they'll still get it."

And mum-of-two Devra Pickup, 25, slammed the politicians as "plain greedy".

She said: "My husband works but we claim family credit to get by. It's ridiculous that they say they cannot survive on the money they earn."

More than 250 MPs have already signed a motion calling for the government to ask the Nolan committee on standards in public life to consider the case for raising MP's and ministers' pay.

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