UK MPs’ Salary Increase in 2025: A Closer Look at Jonathan Brash and Hartlepool’s Pay Disparity...
- HBC Exposed
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
Labour MP for Hartlepool, barely a year into his role representing Hartlepool will see his MP's salary INCREASE from £91,346 to £93,904...
25th March 2025
As of April this year, MP's across the UK are set to receive a pay rise, sparking discussions about fairness, responsibility, and the value of public service.
For Hartlepool’s MP, Jonathan Brash, this increase will adjust his salary in line with broader public sector trends. However, when compared to the remuneration of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Managing Director, Denise McGuckin, a stark disparity begins to emerge—raising questions about compensation, accountability, and the challenges faced by local and national representatives.
The MP Salary Increase: What’s Happening?
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the body responsible for setting MPs’ pay, has announced a 2.8% salary increase effective from April 2025.
This adjustment will lift the basic annual salary for MPs from £91,346 to £93,904. The decision aligns with proposed pay rises for public sector workers, such as teachers and NHS staff, reflecting a broader effort to ensure parliamentary pay keeps pace with economic realities—though it’s worth noting the rise actually exceeds the current CPI inflation rate of 2.5%...
For Jonathan Brash, who was elected as Hartlepool’s MP in July 2024, this means an additional £2,558 per year. As a Labour MP and a vocal advocate for his constituency, Brash has already made waves by stepping down from his councillor role to focus fully on representing Hartlepool. His new salary of £93,904 in April reflects the demanding nature of his position—representing over 92,000 residents, addressing national policy, and tackling local issues like council tax reform and flood defences. But how does this stack up against the leadership of Hartlepool Borough Council?
Hartlepool Borough Council’s Managing Director: A Higher Earner
Denise McGuckin serves as the Managing Director of Hartlepool Borough Council, a role akin to a chief executive, supposedly overseeing the council’s operations and a workforce tasked with delivering services which have been consistently wound down over the last decade, despite senior officer pay increasing year on year.
Based on available data, Hartlepool Borough Councils Managing Director’s salary now stands at £183,510 annually, which consists of £162,375 basic salary & £20,135 in Pension Contributions. This places her earnings at least £89,606 higher than Brash’s post-increase MP salary of £93,904—a gap of approximately 95%. This stark contrast underscores a significant difference in how we compensate elected representatives versus unelected & in most cases 'unaccountable' appointed local government leaders.
The Pay Divide: Scope vs. Scale
The disparity between Brash and McGuckin salary raises eyebrows when you consider their roles.
Brash serves as Hartlepool’s voice in Westminster, shaping national legislation and securing resources for a constituency hit hard by economic decline and funding cuts. His work directly affects every resident, from advocating for a fairer council tax system to collaborating with the council on a £3.6 million recovery grant for 2025-26. It’s a broad, high-stakes role.
McGuckin, meanwhile, manages Hartlepool Borough Council—an organisation facing a projected £16.5 million budget shortfall in 2025/26 and years of criticism for service delivery amid austerity-driven cuts. Whilst her role is undeniably challenging, requiring strategic oversight of a leaner workforce, the council’s struggles have earned it a “failing” reputation in some circles. Despite these difficulties, her £183,510 package dwarfs Brash’s £93,904—meaning she earns nearly double what the town’s MP takes home & that in itself raises questions over her 'value for money' to the local Tax Payer, especially in the midst of service cuts despite her yearly salary increasing year on year...
Hartlepool’s Perspective: Fairness Under Scrutiny
For Hartlepool residents, this pay gap might sting. The town faces deeply entrenched challenges—over a third of adults struggle with literacy, and its tax base leans heavily on lower-value properties, driving up council tax burdens compared to wealthier areas. Brash to his credit has been outspoken about these inequities, pushing for reforms like a proportional property tax. Yet, he’s paid far less than McGuckin, whose council has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy for nearly a decade and seeing through crippling budget cuts to stay afloat.
The numbers tell a story of seriously mismatched rewards: £93,904 for representing an entire constituency versus £183,510 for managing a council often seen as overstretched. Brash’s salary increase is likely to be looked at as a modest nod to his role’s demands when you consider the disparity between his salary & that of someone managing a failing local council, but his pay increase simply doesn’t bridge the chasm with McGuckin’s pay. Some might even argue that managing a council in crisis justifies a premium—but does it really warrant nearly twice the compensation of an MP tasked with the town’s broader future?
The 2.8% pay rise will lift Jonathan Brash’s salary to £93,904 from April 2025, some might say a fair adjustment for an MP navigating Hartlepool’s complex needs. Yet, Denise McGuckin’s £183,510 package—£162,375 in salary plus £20,135 in pension contributions—casts an embarrassing shadow, vastly outstripping Brash’s earnings by £89,606. In a town where resources are scarce and fairness & accountability is a rallying cry, this pay gap therefore prompts a question: should the head of a struggling council earn so much more than the MP fighting for systemic change?
As Brash has said of other inequities, “It is not right. It is not fair. It must change.”
Perhaps it’s time to rethink how we value those who serve Hartlepool—at every level.
What do you think ?
Should the Councils Managing Director take a pay cut ?
YES
NO