IMO their salary should be pegged at the same level as a mid-range civil servant. After all, most of them don't actually make decisions or take responsibility, they simply march through the relevant lobby that their whips have told them to do. When they get a constituent's complaint they just copy it to the appropriate department asking for a reply. They are like an overpaid Postman Pat. Ask any civil servant who has had to deal with these brainless morons and they will confirm that they understand nothing of the issues. There are of course some honourable exceptions but out of over 600 that is hardly surprising. The point about not having a second job is spot on. If the work of an MP is so taxing then they cannot possibly do justice to either job so give up one or the other.
I don't have a problem with them getting it. Pay peanuts and get monkeys. These are the guys and gals who are supposedly shaping britain and its way forwards in the world. I want the best to apply and they havn't done recently. Of course, however it should be their only job and they should have compulsory attendance requirements but currently, for the responsibilities and requirements they are, for me, underpaid.
I know that will be an unpopular thing to say but there you go.
Plenty of other professions are the same unfortunately.
I'm on this side of the fence. I want the best people running our country but the brightest young brains know they can make more money elsewhere.
Wasn't it reported that Boris Johnson gets paid about 100k more a year for his weekly newspaper article than he does for being Mayor or London? Which is ridiculous.
I also remember Karen Brady responding to calls for her to get in to politics by saying there isn't enough money in it. She probably earns millions in business so why would she want to drop to 60k a year?
Just because Karren Brady is good in her chosen business doesn't necessarily mean that she would be any good in politics and that goes for all those who are successful in other areas. But then I'm a cynic who has seen our politicians f**k up everything they can.
Just because Karren Brady is good in her chosen business doesn't necessarily mean that she would be any good in politics and that goes for all those who are successful in other areas. But then I'm a cynic who has seen our politicians f**k up everything they can.
Do you not think there is a possibility that this is because the salary they earn doesn't attract anyone that won't f**k everything up?
If Westminster MP's get a 1% or an11% rise. How the hell can those MP's representing Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland justify any increase at all. By the creation of their parliament or assembly in their own countries, their workload has dropped dramatically. They have little or nothing to do in Westminster. Except interefere in English issues, of course.
I think a lot of people don't really understand what an MP does - maybe they are mistaking them with a Minister! As has been said - they basically vote and pass constituents letters on to civil servants to answer. Maybe the Prime Minister and Ministers can make a case, but they understand the time to do that is when pay restraint policies are not in operation. Paying more money and getting a super MP is a ludicrous proposition, but some people just lap up what they are fed. A big part of the problem IMO.
Some of the best and brightest brains in the world are doctors. They make important decisions and have to know so much that it makes your feet itch. They get paid twice as much as MP's but nowhere near as much as the crooks in the city. What they do get over MP's is job security. An MP has no job security nomatter how good or dedicated they are. They are election fodder in many instances at the mercy of the electorate who mostly vote for or against the prime minister. You can understand why the brightest and best steer clear.
I think a lot of people don't really understand what an MP does - maybe they are mistaking them with a Minister! As has been said - they basically vote and pass constituents letters on to civil servants to answer. Maybe the Prime Minister and Ministers can make a case, but they understand the time to do that is when pay restraint policies are not in operation. Paying more money and getting a super MP is a ludicrous proposition, but some people just lap up what they are fed. A big part of the problem IMO.
Not quite the case though. Many (most?) back bench MPs sit on at least one select committee or some other parliamentary body. It is the select committees, etc there are 98 of them apparently, where most of the actual work of Parliament takes place and each has at least 11 members. So, if you take an example I picked at random, the back-bench MP Karen Lumley, who represents the consituency of Redditch also sits on the Welsh Affairs Committee and the Transport Committee. even Jim Fitzpatrick, probably the biggest waste of oxygen in the Commons with the intellect of a house brick, sits on Transport and Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Gordon Brown on the other hand has done sweet FA for 3 years. With his only spoken contribution in the House since July being a tribute to Nelson Mandela. I hope his constituents feel they are getting value for money.
Absolute disgrace, I work in local government and we had no pay increase for 4 years and this April they generously gave us a 1% rise!
Grrrr!!!!!!!
Snap, 4 years of nothing and now a potential (but not guaranteed) 1% in March. If you are going to have some form of public sector rules, they need to be applied accross the board, not to just 'most of the public sector'.
You think that in five years a 1% payrise, compare that to how your travel, utility bills, fuel, food prices and general cost of living has moved in five years. And that's based on a 'static' life and not one where your situation changes.
Not really moaning, it is what it is, It's just depressing due to the fact i can only see it getting squeezed further.
What pisses me off is that the Independant Pay Review Body concluded that NHS workers should get a 1% pay uplift in April 2014 after three years of a freeze. The government have asked them to reconsider this saying the country can't afford it. I have no words to describe how I feel about politicians at the moment.
When do I get a pay rise for doing the same job next year as last ?
Comments
The point about not having a second job is spot on. If the work of an MP is so taxing then they cannot possibly do justice to either job so give up one or the other.
Wasn't it reported that Boris Johnson gets paid about 100k more a year for his weekly newspaper article than he does for being Mayor or London? Which is ridiculous.
I also remember Karen Brady responding to calls for her to get in to politics by saying there isn't enough money in it. She probably earns millions in business so why would she want to drop to 60k a year?
By the creation of their parliament or assembly in their own countries, their workload has dropped dramatically. They have little or nothing to do in Westminster. Except interefere in English issues, of course.
even Jim Fitzpatrick, probably the biggest waste of oxygen in the Commons with the intellect of a house brick, sits on Transport and Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Gordon Brown on the other hand has done sweet FA for 3 years. With his only spoken contribution in the House since July being a tribute to Nelson Mandela. I hope his constituents feel they are getting value for money.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44225
Then send a email to;
mppayandpension@parliamentarystandards.org.uk