That’s 25 per cent. Twenty-five per cent! In return for this bonanza they will give up their long-standing power to set their own pensions and salary.

Those who inhabit the harsh world beyond the Westminster bubble will be disgusted by this deal. How can greedy politicians have the nerve to pocket even more of our money at a time when ordinary people are being squeezed by higher mortgages, higher energy bills and higher food prices?

The timing couldn’t be worse. It is an absolute insult to the public they are meant to serve and proof that for all
their fine words MPs are worryingly disconnected from reality.

What’s more, we also know that the basic salary is far from the whole story. The extent of MPs’ massive allowances for mortgages, home furnishings, food and travel has been laid bare in the past few months.

Relatives (quite legitimately) are employed as gofers and assistants of various kinds while MPs’ pensions are enviably generous. All this largesse is still under review which makes the proposed salary increase even more disgraceful.

At the weekend, the Prime Minister was talking contritely about “a sense of hurt” among voters. Well the hurt is even greater now, Mr Brown.