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| Brown warns MPs over pay increase | Brown warns MPs over pay increase |
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| Gordon Brown has urged MPs to limit their pay rises to keep them in line with those of public sector workers like nurses and police. | Gordon Brown has urged MPs to limit their pay rises to keep them in line with those of public sector workers like nurses and police. |
| The decision on MPs' pay will be made by the House of Commons, but Mr Brown said increases must stay below 2%. | The decision on MPs' pay will be made by the House of Commons, but Mr Brown said increases must stay below 2%. |
| He told BBC One's Andrew Marr show they should demonstrate the "discipline that we ask of other people" and that ministers "must" do the same. | He told BBC One's Andrew Marr show they should demonstrate the "discipline that we ask of other people" and that ministers "must" do the same. |
| Mr Brown said 2008 would be "decisive" for "breaking the back of inflation". | Mr Brown said 2008 would be "decisive" for "breaking the back of inflation". |
| Anger | |
| The Senior Salaries Pay Board has reportedly recommended a 2.8% increase for MPs on the current £60,675 a year. | |
| This provoked anger among police, nurses and other public sector workers, who had been told that their own rises must stay below a 2% ceiling this year to keep inflation under control. | This provoked anger among police, nurses and other public sector workers, who had been told that their own rises must stay below a 2% ceiling this year to keep inflation under control. |
| The government's decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise for police officers - effectively reducing the increase to 1.9% - prompted the Police Federation to say it will ballot members in 2008 on whether they want the right to strike. | The government's decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise for police officers - effectively reducing the increase to 1.9% - prompted the Police Federation to say it will ballot members in 2008 on whether they want the right to strike. |
| Mr Brown said: "Government ministers must have a rate of pay increase that is below 2% - 1.9%. At the same time, my recommendation is that that is what goes for MPs." | Mr Brown said: "Government ministers must have a rate of pay increase that is below 2% - 1.9%. At the same time, my recommendation is that that is what goes for MPs." |
| While the prime minister can state his preferred figure, MPs will have the final say on their pay rise through a free vote in the Commons. | While the prime minister can state his preferred figure, MPs will have the final say on their pay rise through a free vote in the Commons. |
| I think it's very important that we send a message to nurses, police and all those people in the public sector Gordon Brown Superbug screening pledged | I think it's very important that we send a message to nurses, police and all those people in the public sector Gordon Brown Superbug screening pledged |
| The prime minister also said he would "like to pay... more" to nurses and police but that this was not possible at the moment. | The prime minister also said he would "like to pay... more" to nurses and police but that this was not possible at the moment. |
| Mr Brown said: "This is a decisive year for the economy. We've got to take the right long-term choices this year. | Mr Brown said: "This is a decisive year for the economy. We've got to take the right long-term choices this year. |
| "I will be judged, as will the chancellor, by whether we take the right choices for the economy." | "I will be judged, as will the chancellor, by whether we take the right choices for the economy." |
| Mr Brown has been criticised by unions for staging public sector pay increases, effectively bringing them below 2% for the year. | Mr Brown has been criticised by unions for staging public sector pay increases, effectively bringing them below 2% for the year. |
| He said: "We must show exactly the same discipline that we ask of other people. | He said: "We must show exactly the same discipline that we ask of other people. |
| "In fact, the recommendations for significant pay rises will be rejected and I think it's very important that we send a message to nurses, police and all those people in the public sector, it is very important in this year that we break the back of inflation." | "In fact, the recommendations for significant pay rises will be rejected and I think it's very important that we send a message to nurses, police and all those people in the public sector, it is very important in this year that we break the back of inflation." |
| 'Second jobs' | 'Second jobs' |
| The Labour MP for Ealing North, Stephen Pound, asked on Five Live whether MPs were paid enough, said: "At the moment, I think £60,000 is a fair rate, if that was what MPs got. | |
| "The problem is the majority of MPs are either extremely rich, or have second jobs or third jobs. We should ban all of that." | "The problem is the majority of MPs are either extremely rich, or have second jobs or third jobs. We should ban all of that." |
| Last week, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said some of the messages put forward by Tory leader David Cameron appeared to be "resonating" with voters. | Last week, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said some of the messages put forward by Tory leader David Cameron appeared to be "resonating" with voters. |
| Asked whether he thought this was the case, Mr Brown said: "No, I do not." | Asked whether he thought this was the case, Mr Brown said: "No, I do not." |
| Earlier, he hinted that the government might approve a new generation of nuclear power plants. | Earlier, he hinted that the government might approve a new generation of nuclear power plants. |
| Mr Brown told the Observer newspaper that taking decisions on energy sources was "a fundamental precondition of preparing Britain for the new world". | Mr Brown told the Observer newspaper that taking decisions on energy sources was "a fundamental precondition of preparing Britain for the new world". |
| He used the interview to accuse his opponents of "opportunism", saying he would put long-term interests first. | He used the interview to accuse his opponents of "opportunism", saying he would put long-term interests first. |