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Many MPs appeared to believe that the authority would be prepared to increase their salary as part of a new simplified system, with above-inflation increases over the next few years to put them on a par with senior public sector workers. Sir Stuart Bell, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough who sits on the Members Estimate Committee, which previously oversaw MPs’ pay and allowances, said the new independent body should merge expenses with pay.

This was important, he said, “so that in the longer term we can marry pay structures with allowances in such a way that the dreadful allowance system is abolished for all time”.

He added: “I do think we should look at pay in relation to allowances and put ourselves in a situation where MPs will live on their pay and not have to claim any allowances at all, other than travel.”

It\’s mind blowing, isn\’t it?

Can\’t live on £65k a year? Really?

The main thing they\’ve forgotten of course is why the expenses system grew up in the first place. Because everyone agreed that the public would not wear a rise in MP\’s salaries, so they were given the rise disguised, disguised as expenses.

9 thoughts on “Good grief”

  1. If they want the pay rise let us first have HMRC investigate their untaxed earnings for the last 20 years. It’s got to be a lot.

    Otherwise, they should shut their gobs.

    Why don’t voters have any say in the wages of MPs? The state pays dishonourable members, and naturally this means MPs are loyal to the state more than they should be. Let each MP be paid by their constituents and let each candidate name their price at election time.

  2. It’s not like a normal job on £65k though if you scrap all expenses? I can’t imagine there are many jobs on £65k where you need to work in two locations and they won’t pay travel or accomodation, don’t supply secretarial support etc

  3. Matthew,

    They don’t need to work in two locations, they don’t even need to work in one. There is no need to do any work at all.

    Plus, many of them have separate jobs on the side, it is after all a part-time role.

    And the four months holiday is nice.

  4. No pay rise.

    Let them go on strike, and fire them.

    If they get to hang on and get voted out at the next election, they get festooned with some more of our money.

  5. What’s mind blowing is that those responsible directly and indirectly for the pay that “senior public sector workers” receive can then turn around and use that as a comparator when they themselves want higher pay.

  6. Speaking of, it should be considered an honour to represent your constituents in our parliament and the pay should be commensurately low, possibly average earnings + expenses. Of course nothing should prevent MPs from holding down other jobs which is why their mornings should be left free so that some can pursue this.

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