David Cameron today promised to reduce the cost of politics by cutting ministerial pay and stopping MPs enjoying subsidised food and drink.

In a speech in London, the Conservative leader said that he would impose a 5% pay cut on ministers – and freeze their salaries over the lifetime of the next parliament.
He also said that would stop MPs enjoying subsidised food and drink at Westminster, in a move the Tories believe could save the taxpayer £5.5m a year.

"Walk into a bar in parliament and you buy a pint of Foster's for £2.10," said Cameron in the speech, extracts from which were released to the media in advance.
"That's a little over half as much as in a normal London pub. And in the restaurants on the parliamentary estate you can treat yourself to a 'lean salad of lemon and lime-marinated roasted tofu with baby spinach and rocket, home-roasted plum tomatoes and grilled ficelle crouton' for just £1.70. That's all thanks to you: taxpayers' cash subsidising a politician's food and drink."

Last month the Guardian revealed that Cameron was considering cutting ministerial salaries if he won power. There were suggestions that he could cut pay by up to 25%.
Instead, Cameron said today he would impose a 5% cut – slicing £6,500 from the prime minister's salary, and £4,000 from the salary of a cabinet minister.

Cameron spoke following the demotion yesterday of Alan Duncan. Duncan lost his job as shadow leader of the Commons because he was filmed complaining about MPs having to "live on rations".

It would have been highly embarrassing for Cameron to have delivered today's speech with Duncan still in post.

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...sters-salaries