MEPs vote themselves extra €1,500 allowance a month http://euobserver.com/9/31918

MEPs have elected to boost their monthly allowance for staff and office expenses by €1,500, mirroring a similar move last year despite a widespread austerity drive in EU member states. The decision by members of the European Parliament's budgetary committee on Thursday (3 March) will see the legislature's overall budget increase by almost €13.25 million in 2011. MEPs from parliament's Socialist and centre-right European Peoples Party groups supported the proposed raise, while other groups said the decision was unjustified.