@62Granny. MP’s don’t vote on their pay. As a result of the 2009 expenses scandal MP’s contracted out the decision on their pay awards to an independent body, IPSA - the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. This is what people said they wanted after the expenses scandal - MPs pay taken completely out of the hands of the politicians.
Unfortunately IPSA thought a 10% increase for MPs in 2015 was acceptable despite us being in the midst of the austerity imposed by the coalition government, when the rest of the public sector only got a 1% rise. There was an outcry at what amounted to a £7,500 pay rise and the delightful David Cameron said at the time that it was ‘the rate for the job’. Pay rises in the last few years have been a bit more modest - although still way above the average, and I don’t think there was an increase at all in 2021/22. Interestingly there is no mechanism for MP’s to refuse the pay rise, although IPSA do consult before implementing any decision and submissions are invited as to ‘any new and compelling evidence that might warrant reconsideration’. I would have thought that austerity would have been compelling evidence against a 10% pay rise in 2015, but there’s no evidence that anyone put forward any objections. I bet there wasn’t a rush to give it to charity either. All very convenient.