Leading politicians have volunteered to have their salaries frozen this year, it has been announced.
Government ministers will be subject to a pay freeze and those of them who are MPs will also forego a £1,500 rise in their parliamentary pay, Downing Street said.
It was announced that MPs will receive a pay rise of 2.33 per cent from April 1, bringing their salary up from £63,291 to £64,766 before allowances.
But Downing Street moved quickly to say that ministers will not benefit from the rise, which comes at a time when the CPI index of inflation stands at zero.
Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister does feel that at this time when many families and businesses are facing difficult times economically, it is important that Government ministers take a lead."
A spokeswoman for David Cameron said he would not accept any increase in his salary as Leader of the Opposition or as an MP in 2009-10.
The freeze will also apply to six Tory Whips who receive extra pay from the public purse. But the majority of the shadow front bench - who only get an MP's salary - will be allowed to accept the rise.
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