TORY MPs in North Yorkshire staged a revolt last night in a bid to keep their car allowance of 57.7p a mile - twice the AA's estimate of the true cost of wear and tear.

David Curry, MP for Skipton and Ripon, John Greenway, Ryedale, and Anne McIntosh, Vale of York, were among 118 MPs who defied an independent recommendation to cut the rate.

They were also joined by Kevan Jones, Labour MP for Durham North.

But the rebels failed to prevent a cut to 40p for each of the first 10,000 miles and 25p after that, a reduction to come into force in April.

The Senior Salaries Review Body, which also recommends MPs' pay, had suggested cutting the mileage rates to those of the Inland Revenue.

Commons leader Peter Hain acknowledged the change would have "a significant impact" on MPs from rural constituencies, who are more dependent on cars.

But he said the new rate covered the cost of driving a smaller or medium-sized car, encouraging MPs to switch to more environmentally-friendly vehicles.

However, Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Winterton said MPs were already underpaid compared with people doing equivalent jobs outside parliament and described the cut as "grotesquely unfair".

Mr Greenway, who has driven 50,000 miles in two years, said the reduction was unfair.

MPs also voted to boost staffing allowances by about eight per cent to a basic level of £72,000, rising to a maximum of £80,460 for an MP with three full-time staff.

The row came just weeks after it was revealed that Britain's 659 MPs claimed an average of £118,437 each in allowances, on top of the basic salary of £57,485.