****..

Who’s going to be first to click the dodgy link?

they’re not even keeping up – a better deal

Who’s going to be first to click the dodgy link?

Go on, you know you want to..
I wonder how many MP’s are directors as well..

That would have been me. The number itself means little and is disconnected with the amount of responsibility MPs have. The bigger questions as I see them are about commitment to the job, time and focus given other businesses many have on the go (or are board members for).

This is nothing short of a disgrace. I have no idea how the Tories and Condems will be able to lok in the mirror.

a_a

I should think they’ll be reading The Telegraph & The Independant instead.

I currently earn about the same as a backbencher. All I can say is that I wouldn’t swap my job for theirs and another 11%. OK, they don’t all work as hard as they could I’m sure, but most take on a huge amount of responsibility and hassle and spend most of their week away from their family. They face the constant scrutiny (rightly in the main) of the press and public, and many are at risk of losing their career every five years. **** that.

Thats not really the point though bol. The point is at a time when the condems have raped the rest of the public sector this just should not happen.

Bol

They knew the conditions when they took the job on. You don’t like it don’t do it.

It’s funny how the government ignored a independent review into my pay.

1. The MPs haven’t asked for it
2. The MPs have asked for it to be postponed but have no power to stop it as it’s exactly what the public said they wanted I.e. MPs pay set by an independent third party
3. The current government elected to take reduced salaries compared to the last government – from memory I think they took pay reductions of around 15%
4. Most MPs earn less than head teachers and doctors (50% less than the latter) but historically have earned similar amounts
5. Most members of the public think they are overpaid but are completely ignorant to the real work of MPs which isn’t in the shouty chamber but in endless select committees and local constituency surgeries several evenings a week.

Most people would want a lot more than £65k for a job that takes then away from friends and family every week.

I wouldn’t do their job for what they’re being paid, just to end up working long hours, away from home, with a good chance of being chucked out after five years, occasionally attacked by machete wielding nutters, and then to be called a parasite at the end of it all.

I wouldn’t do their job for what they’re being paid, just to end up working long hours, away from home, with a good chance of being chucked out after five years, occasionally attacked by machete wielding nutters, and then to be called a parasite at the end of it all.

That’s your average PS worker if you believe the condems

I work in the public sector and I can’t think of a thing that the Tories have ever done that I agree with. I suppose I just find the demonisation of MPs sticks in my throat a bit. They’re an easy target. Ironically just like lots of us in the public sector. They didn’t choose the pay rise, but I bet a lot of them welcome it, given their hourly rate doesn’t compare very well with what they would get elsewhere.

The issue for me isnt whether its appropriate its about the fact that the condems have urged pay restraint and cut funding and jobs and then this happens. They make the laws they could stop this. I’m sure if I set up an indepedent body to look at teachers pay it would suggest a pay rise for me! The other point is there are plenty of people wanting to be MP’s we dont have shortages like teachers. That suggests to me they are overpaid.

working long hours, away from home, with a good chance of being chucked out after five years, occasionally attacked by machete wielding nutters, and then to be called a parasite at the end of it all

I work in social care, that pretty much describes my job, long hours, nights away, verbal and physical assaults aren’t uncommon..
In the last four years all we’ve had is a pay cut..

And thats before the “its a vocation done for love” crap that gets trotted out when teachers strike.

They will go through the motions of saying how unacceptable it is, and emphasising that they have bo influence upon the process; but the award will be made, and of course they will grudginly aceept it. The public will be fooled again, and out of range of any recording equipment, the MPs will indulge in a quiet moment of smug self-congratulation and thankfulness that the Process has once again delivered.

I’ve just secured a position back in the private sector after 6 years in the Civil Service. I feel like I’ve had a lucky escape.

I appreciate that the MPs haven’t asked for this and the party leaders are against it, but this is happening against a background of public sector workers having a 2 year pay freeze and a 1% pay cap for 2 if not 3 years; it just sends out the wrong message. Plus, don’t forget a lot of MPs can’t be working that hard as they have other jobs which usually pay much more than their parliamentary wages.

They are losing the final salary pension in 2015 though – it’s part of a wider set of pay reforms. If there are loads of aggrieved public sector workers (“raped by the condems” – FFS!) who are willing to give up their own final salary pensions for a one off 11% pay rise I’m sure that the current or future Chancellor would only be too happy to make that a reality.

I wouldn’t necessarily begrudge them the payv rise if the expenses system , second home etc wasn’t so laughably corrupt
Despite over a million having to be paid back last time only a couple were prosecuted
And it seems that nothing has changed there
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=hp_sauce&issue=1354

Yes an 11% pay rise would soften the blow
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/payandpensions/b00204965/proposed-teacher-pension-scheme-reforms

If there are loads of aggrieved public sector workers (“raped by the condems” – FFS!) who are willing to give up their own final salary pensions for a one off 11% pay rise I’m sure that the current or future Chancellor would only be too happy to make that a reality.

He was happier than that as it was taken off us for no pay rise and this won’t be a one off pay rise of 11%.

And a big increase in our contributions.

An 11% rise for your average PS worker circa £20k isn’t going to give a big a rise as an MP on £65k.

11% rise of **** all is **** all

I’d be happy to try it!

I’m sorry, but the hard, responsible job argument just doesn’t cut it..

I’m sure a huge number of people view their own job as having a great deal of responsibility and accountability, with long hours and an uncertain future.. but many of them will be earning a third of an MPs salary

and sorry but if you consider 65k to be **** all, you live with your pampered head in the clouds

If MP’s actually looked after the interests of the people maybe they would be underpaid.

For the job they should be doing I think MPs are under paid. This was quite hard for me to come to terms with, particularly with the behavior of the current government towards public sector workers (for the record I do work in the public sector and earn nowhere near what MPs currently make).

However, particularly after this wage hike, I think being an MP should be your only job. No directorships, other jobs, etc. and a ban of sitting on boards of directors for 5 years after leaving Parliament.

Maybe if it were more difficult for them to use their power and influence for personal gain but were better remunerated we could get more people into parliament for the right reasons rather than career politicians using it as a backdoor to more power and money.

FFS, the job of a back-bench MP is to do as they’re told.
Sit in the chamber, shout “hear, hear” or “shaaaame” in a pathetic school-playground style, Occasionally read out a printed question that is given to you

… and then remember to walk out of the correct exit, doing as you’re told

Beyond that, mostly there’s just padding you wallet or grooming contacts for padding your wallet after you’re sacked

Seventy grand, you say ?
ooooh, I dunno, depends on the package (as all you private sector folk like to say 😉 ). Oh, yeah, it’s pretty much the best one in existence isn’t it ?

Just5minutes +1 but since when have the facts got in the way of a good rant!!! Then again the Beeb and the broadsheets could be getting it all wrong too.

They voted against it, didn’t they?

Course they did, knowing that voting against it makes no difference – a load of posturing.

I take it then, if they are all so against it, they will be giving, say, 9% to good causes?

Didn’t think so.

I’d like a 3% pay rise never mind 11% just something that balances me out rather than a drop would be good. But if your offering 11% I’d take it if you don’t mind.

Just5minutes plus 2

Most MPs are really committed and hard working, some are not fundamentally we have a decent elected representative body, try Italy and USA for some interesting contrasts.

re Public Sector and pay just comfort yourselves with the idea there will be no PS in 6 years and most local authorities will be bankrupt, whilst the quangos of Serco and G4S take billions out of the governmental purse and still ‘make mistakes in charging’ especially for ‘tagging’ prisoners.

Just5minutes +1 but since when have the facts got in the way of a good rant!!! Then

yes just5minutes had, sadly not been in posession of the facts when he posted.

Maybe if we could get this payrise linked to a requirement to have a “none of the above” option on ballot papers it would gain support? Certainly something I would like to see. Maybe this would help shift the greedy and morally dubious out of politics.

Imagine how wonderful it would be if the 35% of people who didn’t vote last time, along with all those who did vote but were unhappy with the least worst choices on offer, came out and said none of you represent me or my ideals. Maybe then we could get reform.

Honestly how “responsible” are MPs? They vote how they’re told and read what their given. Surgeries? When I’ve been, or when some-one contacts me from an MP’s surgery, it’s an unpaid party “apprentice”, or a secretary. One I spoke with was a “researcher”…He was 17 and doing it part time whilst doing A-levels…

Lots of late night meetings and committees, trying hard not to have your name attached to any radical decision, or something that’s going to cost money…right, that’s a tough gig.

An 11% pay increase at the end of 5 years of recession when the “hard working families” they claim to represent are at real risk of going hungry and cold this winter is flat out wrong.

In it together…right up until the point when we’re not.

They are losing the final salary pension in 2015 though – it’s part of a wider set of pay reforms. If there are loads of aggrieved public sector workers (“raped by the condems” – FFS!) who are willing to give up their own final salary pensions for a one off 11% pay rise I’m sure that the current or future Chancellor would only be too happy to make that a reality.

I don’t get a final salary pension or an 11% pay rise. I’ve only had one inflationary pay rise in five years.

AA, so unlike the rest of us, you have advanced copy of the IPSA report with the explanation of how they came to their recommendations? May we have a précis of how the independent body came to their conclusions and how and why they (reportedly) ignored the advice/recommendations of all three main parties? Should we now bin the IPSA in favour of some other body? It would be good to learn after my ride, thanks!