[Logo Hater]

It has been reported in some of this mornings papers that MPs want a pay rise.

They are currently on £60,675, they are entitled to claim £20,000 to run their offices, £7,000 in pre-paid envelopes and they recently voted themselves a further £10,000 to enable them to print literature promoting themselves. This is in addition to travelling expences and accomodation if their constituancy is outside London.

They have the best pension rights of any civil servant, plus numerous other perks available only to them. Yet! still they want more.

Personally I wouldn't pay any of the present bunch, with one or two exceptions, anything at all. Until they can prove that they deserve payment and are capable of doing the job and are responsible people they should all be removed from their ivory tower.

[Jammyb]

It really isn't a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps if the job pays more we might start getting some better applicants.

The thing that scares me about MP's is not the fact that they're MP's but that of the room full of oddballs that make up our government a handful of those on the winning side have to be chosen to be ministers and actually make important decisions. Democracy has it's good and bad points...

[NackNack]

40% tax on that, right? So around £38k then..

£10k to promote themselves isn't on though, that's £10k less than others have in running against that person.

[Bilbob]

Don't think it's 10k to spend on that sort of promotion, I think it's to get themselves out and known their constituency. I think that's fair. Get them out there doing the job they are being paid for.

As for the pay itself, I also have no problem with a rise, easier to attract the better candidate.

[Mep]

I would agree it's not a lot of money if they are up to the job. A good politician in the commercial world could easily earn serious money.

[Logo Hater]

Originally Posted by Bilbob

Don't think it's 10k to spend on that sort of promotion, I think it's to get themselves out and known their constituency. I think that's fair. Get them out there doing the job they are being paid for.

As for the pay itself, I also have no problem with a rise, easier to attract the better candidate.

But it is to spend on that sort of promotion. MPs must be the only people in the country who can vote on their own payment and expences levels. They certainly don't have a problem doing it at frequent intervals. Maybe a few managing directors of companies can as well, but they aren't receiving taxpayers money.

When have you ever, except in very few cases, known MPs to do what they are being paid for.

[Bilbob]

Could always lower the salary to, oooh, let's say 15k, import some Polish to do it on the cheap?

Personally, I'm in favour of good money for good people.

[Alan_W]

Is there a shortage of applicants for the job?

If not, why pay more?

They all screw the country over their housing allowances, and get more holidays than anyone else.

[Mep]

surely it's quality of applicants not quantity that counts?

[Alan_W]

I don't think the quality will go up by paying more, maybe more of the same

It is the argument MP's frequently use when discussing other pay awards though, not their own admittedly.

[Mep]

TBH, It may not be the answer, but if you could earn a couple of hundred grand a year upwards in industry, or £60k in politics what would you do? Still wouldn't stop all the dross going in to politics though I know.

[Ethics Gradient]

Originally Posted by mep

If you could earn a couple of hundred grand a year upwards in industry, or £60k in politics what would you do?

It's not the politicians actually running things though - thats the civil servants.
Other than specific key roles by politicians in the cabinet etc, most are just following party votes and trying to highlight issues relevent to their local constituency in parliment.

... and a lot of those that get into positions of real power often secure themselves lucrative follow on careers in either other parts of the political system, in industry or in the talk ciruits / media.

..... and consider the more money the roles are worth, the more some people will canive and lie to get into them

I do admit though, going off the number of politicians I have seen, they don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Ethics Gradient

It's not the politicians actually running things though - thats the civil servants.
Other than specific key roles by politicians in the cabinet etc, most are just following party votes and trying to highlight issues relevent to their local constituency in parliment.

... and a lot of those that get into positions of real power often secure themselves lucrative follow on careers in either other parts of the political system, in industry or in the talk ciruits / media.

..... and consider the more money the roles are worth, the more some people will canive and lie to get into them

I do admit though, going off the number of politicians I have seen, they don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box.

Agree with the bulk of that. I would just change 'some' to the majority.

Having worked in the civil service and had the misfortune to meet some of the ministers, I'd have to agree 100% with the last statement. One of the funniest was Lilley. You know, the man who kept telling us how 'butch' he would get with 'benefit cheats'. He was so tough he used to go everywhere with a huge entourage of body guards and wouldn't speak to any but hand picked (female) members of staff!

As for the others, well JSG provided the best moments. He was giving a speech at the centenary of the MAFF and everyone just walked off half way through it......... he was also daft enough to come to our office and face the senior civil servants. More than once they were heard shouting at him, and on one occasion the PU secretary told him, and I quote, "oh shut up and sit down you stupid little man". Classic!

I would pay MP's more. That way we might get more interest from people beyond the usual crowd of self servers, semi-nutters and political in- doctrinaires.

[mij]

Quadruple the pay and slash the ridiculous amount of MPs.

Then insist they do the job they are being paid for.

[Steve.J.Davies]

seeking office should be automatic disqualification for holding office...

Read Giles Brandreth's book about his time in the House - an eye opener to the process of becoming an MP and what happens in the House.