NORTH Shropshire MP Helen Morgan says she will be upping her personal donations to charity following an independent body's 'tone deaf' decision to raise politicians' pay.

Members of Parliament will be getting a £2,212 pay increase, rising from £81,932 to £84,144 from April 1, 2022, with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) justifying the rise because of an increased workload for MPs.

Mrs Morgan criticised the rise amid a time of a cost of living crisis faced by families in the UK, and re-iterated her call for a 'Robin Hood' tax to soften the blow of increased energy prices.

“MPs no longer get to set their own pay and it’s right that our salaries are set by an independent body," she said.

"But MPs simply don’t need a pay rise right now and it’s tone deaf for IPSA to increase our salaries while so many people are facing a cost of living crisis.

"As a Liberal Democrat I’m arguing for a ‘Robin Hood tax’ to be levied on the big oil and gas producers to provide help with household energy bills of up to £1,000 per year to help with the cost of living crisis.

"On a personal level, I already donate to a number of charities and good causes and will be upping those donations.”

However, Mrs Morgan declined to comment on whether she would be donating the full amount of £2,212 to charity.

The move has been condemned by MPs and the Government alike, coming at a time when the rest of the country is suffering a cost of living crisis.

Defending the decision to increase members’ salaries, IPSA chairman Richard Lloyd said it was in recognition of their rising workload over the previous 12 months.

“MPs play a vital role in our democracy and this is reflected in their pay,” Mr Lloyd said.

“It is right that MPs are paid fairly for the responsibility and the unseen work they do helping their constituents, which dramatically increased last year.”