MPs' pay increase: Jack Straw and John Mann on salaries 24 January 2013 Last updated at 15:21 Help MPs are "worth a reasonable salary" and currently paid a lot less than some BBC journalists, said Jack Straw backing calls for a review of politicians' pay. But fellow Labour MP John Mann said it was "total nonsense" to say people wanted to be an MP for the money. Former minister Nick Herbert said it was "extremely damaging" to raise the issue now while other people were facing a pay freeze and a "real fall in their income." An anonymous survey conducted by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority found MPs thought they deserved a 32% increase that would take their pay from £65,000 to £86,250. The average UK salary is £26,500. while an average CEO in a medium-sized company earns £99,000.