In a UK first, ordinary citizens will help determine how much MPs should be paid. This follows Parliament’s expenses watchdog launching an innovative public consultation. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) is recruiting 20-25 randomly selected Britons. Their role is to form a citizens’ forum for shaping politicians’ pay and expenses from 2025.
Furthermore, the creation of a citizens’ forum highlights a radical departure from previous online consultations. It gives everyday voters direct influence over Westminster salaries. “This is about ensuring public voices are heard when setting MPs’ pay,” an Ipsa spokesperson said. Participants will be chosen via postal lottery from 10,000 addresses. This selection will reflect national demographics.
In addition, MPs currently earn £93,904 annually after a 2.8% April raise. Ipsa, created after the 2009 expenses scandal, reviews pay after each election but has no fixed formula. The presence of a citizens’ forum will further help balance opinions in the process.
Moreover, the assembly model of citizens has been successfully used in Ireland and Scotland. The aim is to rebuild trust after years of pay controversies. “Having real people deliberate removes the perception of MPs marking their own homework,” said democratic reform advocate Prof. Sarah Birch. She endorses the citizens’ forum approach.
However, critics question whether small panels can represent 67 million Britons. “These forums risk being unaccountable,” warned TaxPayers’ Alliance CEO John O’Connell. “Ultimately, Parliament should decide salaries transparently.” Recommendations will complement an autumn online consultation, with the citizens’ forum’s final decisions due by April 2025.
Therefore, as Westminster experiments with this direct democracy model, the world watches. Is a forum of citizens the future standard for contentious decisions? For now, 20 randomly selected Britons hold MPs’ financial futures in their hands.
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