MEMBERS of Parliament from the Huddersfield area are divided over whether to accept a pay rise in April.

An independent body yesterday recommended that MPs should get a 1% increase in their £65,738 salaries in 2011/12.

However, the Government announced it would table a motion in Parliament to try to freeze MPs’ pay for the next year.

Commons leader Sir George Young said yesterday MPs should reject the rise because of the two-year pay freeze in force for public sector workers earning more than £21,000.

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney agrees.

The Conservative said yesterday: “I’m quite shocked there’s a proposal to increase our salaries. As a public servant, I’m bound by the pay freeze.

“It’s completely wrong for MPs to get a pay rise at this time.

“If there’s a motion in Parliament for a pay freeze, I will support it. Everyone else is feeling the pain and I think we should share in that.”

Mr McCartney added that, if the 1% pay rise went ahead, he would give the extra money to charity.

Dewsbury’s Simon Reevell believes the Senior Salaries Review Body – the independent body set up to determine MPs’ pay – should have the final say.

The Conservative said: “I don’t think MPs should have anything to do with their pay, or allowances, or expenses

“It should all be decided independently. It’s just not right for MPs to vote for what they get.

“I can understand why George Young is talking about tabling a motion, but the principle is that MPs should have nothing to do with our pay and allowances.”

Mr Reevell has not decided whether he will accept the pay rise, if it is introduced.

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman also believes that the Senior Salaries Review Body should decide on pay.

The Labour man said: “I don’t want the House of Commons to get a vote on this because fiddling round with our salary is the wrong way to go. It’s bad procedure to vote on your own salary.”

Mr Sheerman criticised the leader of the Commons for announcing he would table a motion for a pay freeze.

The Huddersfield MP said: “George Young will have been put up to this by David Cameron. It’s nonsensical interference.”

Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker said he would back a pay freeze.

The Conservative said: “In light of what’s going on in the national economy, I think it’s only right to have a pay freeze.

“Other public sector workers are facing a pay freeze and I think we should too, so I will support Sir George’s motion.”

Mr Whittaker added that he would give any pay rise to charity.

The SSRB yesterday recommended that MPs’ salaries should rise by 1% from April 1. The move would give members of Parliament an extra £657 in 2011/12, bringing their wages up to £66,395 a year.

The average national annual income is £25,543.