More than 130,000 people have signed a petition calling for MPs to be stripped of an additional £10,000 work from home allowance.
The one-off sum is designed to cover increased costs as MPs and their staff work from home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Critics claim the policy is in poor taste given how millions of employees face being furloughed at 80% of their pay – with some losing their jobs altogether.
MPs can already claim £26,000 a year to cover their office costs.
Lucy Pearson, who started the petition, wrote: “While the rest of us lesser mortals struggle to pay bills, navigate HMRC and for many, learn they are not entitled to any support whatsoever during these dark times, already financially stable MPs are being given yet another perk.
“The extra budget can be used to buy equipment such as laptops and printers for MPs and their staff, or to cover additional electricity, heating and phone bills.”
She described the petition as “an opportunity for all of us to unite and tell those in power that we’ve had enough of the gross inequalities that exist in this country”.
Previously, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “It is wrong to characterise this extra £10,000 allocated by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) as MPs giving themselves additional funds.
“On the contrary, this money is being used to enable MPs’ staff to set up home working to support distressed constituents at a time of crisis.”
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