The First Minister criticises proposed pay increases for Northern Ireland’s Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), calling a more than £2,000 rise “grotesque.” The remarks follow recent decisions on MLA remuneration.
The proposals come after MLAs receive an almost 27% uplift in annual wages in April, which the outlets describe as amounting to an increase of more than £14,000. The Belfast Telegraph also reports that MLAs are set to receive an additional 3% rise at the start of the next mandate in May 2027.
While both outlets focus on the First Minister’s criticism, they provide slightly different framing of the timetable and amounts. BBC News centres on the immediate reaction to the proposed rise of over £2,000, linking it to the earlier April wage increase. Belfast Telegraph adds detail about the 3% increase planned for May 2027, placing the criticism within a longer sequence of planned pay adjustments.
