MP's Pay
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Seems to me that the Government is equivalent to the board of directors of the UK. The members are there to serve the public and represent their constituency.
Like it or not, the members of parliament are required to contribute to the policy and strategy of the nation while also representing the views of their constituents and, often intervening in problems on behalf of their constituents or other members of the public.
None of these roles could be easy in themselves but when combined they must be extremely difficult, given that the individual MP could well be pulled in different directions by each of these roles in any particular situation.
I'm no apologist for MPs and their pay-scales but if we want these people to do such a difficult and important job for us why should we begrudge them a decent salary.
Rgds SOS
Like it or not, the members of parliament are required to contribute to the policy and strategy of the nation while also representing the views of their constituents and, often intervening in problems on behalf of their constituents or other members of the public.
None of these roles could be easy in themselves but when combined they must be extremely difficult, given that the individual MP could well be pulled in different directions by each of these roles in any particular situation.
I'm no apologist for MPs and their pay-scales but if we want these people to do such a difficult and important job for us why should we begrudge them a decent salary.
Rgds SOS
Last edited by SOSL; 2nd Jul 2013 at 19:50.
lb
Either way, you've been underpaid. One of the worst decisions ever made was to privatise MoD scientific services.
SOSL
I agree, but there are too many of them in the "smug bas****" category. The likes of Cameron and Osborne come across as overgrown children who are playing an imaginary game where they can forget reality for a while. Every time Osborne opens his mouth there are 60 million people in the country saying "OK for you mate, if you lose your job you never have to work another day in your life". People in that situation, who are not self-made, seldom make good politicians.
They're more like the Management Board of an MoD IPT I used to know. 15 inexperienced and junior staff who, if they were seen to "manage" ok, would in time be allowed to manage a minor project.
Or do I have a claim for being underpaid during 17 years in grade?
SOSL
I'm no apologist for MPs and their pay-scales but if we want these people to do such a difficult and important job for us why should we begrudge them a decent salary.
Seems to me that the Government is equivalent to the board of directors of the UK.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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I don't begrudge them a decent salary. They have one.
I do begrudge them telling the country "we're all in this together" and "this is a time for austerity" and then awarding themselves a big fat pay rise.
Also, its a little too close to the bone to say that there's no way to change the recommendations of an independant board when they tried to do that and fired the chairman of the AFPRB for recommending a 1/2% rise in X factor.
I do begrudge them telling the country "we're all in this together" and "this is a time for austerity" and then awarding themselves a big fat pay rise.
Also, its a little too close to the bone to say that there's no way to change the recommendations of an independant board when they tried to do that and fired the chairman of the AFPRB for recommending a 1/2% rise in X factor.
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It isn't just us being in it together that wearies me these days. It seems we have some nice weather on the way so brace yourselves for hosepipe bans, pictures of a parched and wilderness-like Rutland Water (wherever), claims that it is hotter than Riyadh, footage of Cornettos streaming off productions lines, Northern seaside towns bursting with ruddy faced lobsters gorging themselves on ice cream, office workers 'stripping off' in council parks and of course, government 'advice'.
Its that time of year too, for getting tough. On what? Does it matter? The heat, sunscreen manufacturers, councils stocks of grit for winter, police reform, pay day loan companies.. anything.. earlier today, it seems we're getting tough on foreigners using the NHS.. again. Does the state have these sorts of crass initiatives on file to be rolled out to deflect flak and heat?
I wish the state would get tough on growth and unemployment, tapering off of QE, a 50 foot bond bubble, the Chinese credit crunch and creeping Bond yields - you know, the sort of stuff we pay them for, and not meddling with the minutiae, the harping on, the hypocritical pontificating and picking our pockets all the time. Alas, it is too little too late, I've had enough and if Prism is reading this - sorry, I really don't care anymore.
Its that time of year too, for getting tough. On what? Does it matter? The heat, sunscreen manufacturers, councils stocks of grit for winter, police reform, pay day loan companies.. anything.. earlier today, it seems we're getting tough on foreigners using the NHS.. again. Does the state have these sorts of crass initiatives on file to be rolled out to deflect flak and heat?
I wish the state would get tough on growth and unemployment, tapering off of QE, a 50 foot bond bubble, the Chinese credit crunch and creeping Bond yields - you know, the sort of stuff we pay them for, and not meddling with the minutiae, the harping on, the hypocritical pontificating and picking our pockets all the time. Alas, it is too little too late, I've had enough and if Prism is reading this - sorry, I really don't care anymore.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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There are scores, if not hundreds, of applicants for selection as candidates to stand as MPs. If the job is that popular it is a reason for keeping the salary on the low side
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For those who hang on each word written in the Daily Mail
Most of the MP's I have met are generally a hard working lot who try do the best they can for those they represent, of course the Daily Mail loves a good story about those who fall short of the mark but you get these people in any profession and all should not be tared with the same brush.
As for those above who think that MP's should get no expenses please tel me how an MP from the north of the UK can be expected to do his job without them ? How can the guy meet with his constituents and represent them in London without help with his travel expences, he would be bankrupt is a year without his travel expences paid !
Please think before you write and don't swallow whole the Daily Mail's envy based agenda that plays to the lower middle class under achivers who read the so called newspaper.
The one thing that has had me wondering is why Tory MP's wives all look like they were all cast from the same mold, is there a machine in Tory Central Office that makes these women ? Or do they turn that way after a few years living with an MP ?
As for those above who think that MP's should get no expenses please tel me how an MP from the north of the UK can be expected to do his job without them ? How can the guy meet with his constituents and represent them in London without help with his travel expences, he would be bankrupt is a year without his travel expences paid !
Please think before you write and don't swallow whole the Daily Mail's envy based agenda that plays to the lower middle class under achivers who read the so called newspaper.
The one thing that has had me wondering is why Tory MP's wives all look like they were all cast from the same mold, is there a machine in Tory Central Office that makes these women ? Or do they turn that way after a few years living with an MP ?
Last edited by A and C; 4th Jul 2013 at 23:27.
