Sinn Fein MPs will not take a £10,000 increase in office cost allowances.

The increase has been introduced by the Westminster government to help MPs and their staff adapt to working from home and new social distancing rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But South Down MP Chris Hazzard said he and his six party colleagues in the House of Commons confirmed they will not avail of the increase.

“As an Irish Republican political party which stands on a platform of Irish unity and which does not take our seats in the British Parliament, Sinn Fein MPs do not receive any salary from Westminster,” he said.

“This proposal to increase the office cost allowance by £10,000 is not an increase in MP or staff salary, but an uplift in office cost allowance for ensuring a constituency service can continue to operate remotely in these times of crisis and to meet the needs of constituents.

“Sinn Fein MPs will not avail of this increase.”