Oh Hum its a funny old world

[Less]

Originally Posted by Eric

Those wouldn't be the "rural practices" that involve sheep, would they?

I couldn't say, but if you don't want one as ugly and smelly as a full back I suggest you get there early.

[Eric]

I like this one:

MPs call for, in private at least, a 32% pay rise | Politics | The Guardian

[susie123]

No deffo 32% according to the BBC
BBC News - MPs call for '32% salary increase'

[Less]

Obviously our local mp isn't involved in this particular money grabbing, self serving, pocket lining disgrace.












He'd have asked for 95%.

[yerself]

From the Beeb: BBC News - MPs call for '32% salary increase'

On average, Tories said their salary should be £96,740, while Lib Dems thought the right amount was £78,361 and Labour £77,322. Other parties put the figure at £75,091.

I wonder what the public think their MPs are worth, or do 95% just not care?

[Neil]

I have said before that they are not paid enough.

There is something wrong when several Councils chief execs are paid more than the PM

This story is almost 3 years old and talks about senior council officer pay in this area http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk...ng__pay_rises/

You know the old saying, pay peanuts get monkeys

Well if you don't pay MP's enough to attract the right people we need to sort the country out you can't complain when we can only select monkeys on election day.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Neil

I have said before that they are not paid enough.

There is something wrong when several Councils chief execs are paid more than the PM

This story is almost 3 years old and talks about senior council officer pay in this area Hyndburn and Pendle council chiefs' 'staggering' pay rises (From Lancashire Telegraph)

You know the old saying, pay peanuts get monkeys

Well if you don't pay MP's enough to attract the right people we need to sort the country out you can't complain when we can only select monkeys on election day.

Coudn't agree more Neil, well said.

[Eric]

Just did a check. Seems like Canadian MPs earn quite a bit ... 99,486.18 UK pounds. This amount is frozen, for now, by Act of Parliament. That's damn good pay. However, our local MP, Ted Hsu, seems as if he is good value for the money. I didn't vote for him, and I won't be voting for him in the next election. But I have talked to him a couple of times, and he was very helpful, even tho' he knows I'm a supporter of the NDP.

[davebtelford]

Originally Posted by Neil

I have said before that they are not paid enough.

There is something wrong when several Councils chief execs are paid more than the PM

This story is almost 3 years old and talks about senior council officer pay in this area Hyndburn and Pendle council chiefs' 'staggering' pay rises (From Lancashire Telegraph)

You know the old saying, pay peanuts get monkeys

Well if you don't pay MP's enough to attract the right people we need to sort the country out you can't complain when we can only select monkeys on election day.

The trouble is when we pay top whack & STILL get monkeys !!! It's the execs in the Councils / NHS / BBC etc. who get paid too much not the MPs who get paid too little. (And remember many MPs would still find the time to have 2nd jobs however much you paid them for being an MP.) My 2p.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by Neil

I have said before that they are not paid enough.

There is something wrong when several Councils chief execs are paid more than the PM

This story is almost 3 years old and talks about senior council officer pay in this area Hyndburn and Pendle council chiefs' 'staggering' pay rises (From Lancashire Telegraph)

You know the old saying, pay peanuts get monkeys

Well if you don't pay MP's enough to attract the right people we need to sort the country out you can't complain when we can only select monkeys on election day.

Stupid arguments!
Councils are overpaying their chief execs...so we should overpay MP's to bring them into line
We pay bankers a fortune to deal with the finances of this country, in fact we reward them for screwing up....where's your pay peanuts get monkeys on that one then?
Give me an argument for paying Gordon Brown £96k when he hasn't even set foot in the commons for 8 months..or an argument for MP's who are absent from most of the votes to receive £96k..or one for MP's who vote against the wishes of their constituents because they think they knnow better
No matter how much these backstabbing, two faced MP's are paid, it will never be enough to stop them from screwing every single £1 they can from the taxpayers, whether its on fiddling expenses, fact finding trips to barabados or gilt edged pensions

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Neil

I have said before that they are not paid enough.

There is something wrong when several Councils chief execs are paid more than the PM

This story is almost 3 years old and talks about senior council officer pay in this area Hyndburn and Pendle council chiefs' 'staggering' pay rises (From Lancashire Telegraph)

You know the old saying, pay peanuts get monkeys

Well if you don't pay MP's enough to attract the right people we need to sort the country out you can't complain when we can only select monkeys on election day.

Your certainly spot on about council chiefs being paid more than the PM Neil, which to be honest is quite ridiculous really, but a nice job if you can get it. I have always said that councillors are not paid enough, using your rule of thumb. As for MPs I'm not sure what kind of money you would need to attract the creme de la creme into parliament, think we might have to put up with the likes of Jonesy for the near future

[davebtelford]

With the PC procedures now in the parties' candidate selection processes there is no guarantee that those best qualified to be MPs would get onto the ballot paper anyway - even if they were attracted by a higher salary.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by davebtelford

With the PC procedures now in the parties' candidate selection processes there is no guarantee that those best qualified to be MPs would get onto the ballot paper anyway - even if they were attracted by a higher salary.

In his "peanuts and monkeys" post, Neil mentioned the "right people"; and you mention the "best qualified" ... in this funny old world, has any one of us given much thought to "qualifications"? What qualifies someone to be an MP? Looking at your present government, it would seem that attending Eton and Oxbridge are, if not necessary, at least a tremendous advantage Over here, it seems as if a law degree is almost a necessity. We all probably know what qualifications are required for a plumber or an electrician, a nurse or a doctor, an airline pilot etc. etc. But what should be the qualifications needed to represent thousands of people in the House of Commons (we call it that too)? We all know what they tell us on the hustings. I will do this, and that; I will be honest, reliable, hard working, always ready to represent your interests ... and all kinds of other stuff that can be found emerging from the rear end of a bull, or a horse. But what should one look for, in terms of qualifications, in a potential MP? How high should our expectations be? How difficult is it be a back bencher (we call them that too)? After all, they don't even have to listen to the debates, let alone contribute to them. They are told how to vote. Over here, one can be illiterate and run for office If you can't sign your own nomination papers, a witnessed "X" will do

[Guinness]

What qualifies someone to be an MP?..

It doesn't matter if you have your pulse on the feelings of the public, you are an altruist, or if you are the cleverest man alive who has the solution to all the worlds ills, you will not be elected unless you are a card carrying member of one of the main political parties. Once they have you..you vote the party way (check out how many times our own MP has rebelled) or you can forget having a career in politics.

As for intelligence levels....you only have to view Parliament TV and watch the donkeys and geese bray and cackle until some guy in a gown (who's airhead wife is more famous than him for a nude photo, reality TV, and a column in a redtop rag), shouts 'order' (and they want £96k for this remember).

Mother of parliaments my backside, our system is that old and decrepit it's in late stage dementia...they are a damn disgrace in this day and age, they cannot debate without resorting to shouting down anyone with a differing opinion, in fact they don't really debate anymore, they make statements and votes are cast, by those that can be bothered turning up, according to what they have been told by the party. (£96k for following orders).

Couple of years ago Margaret Beckett was battered on question time for looking down her nose at the voting public over the expenses debacle, saying 'no I won't pay it back, the public just don't understand' as she claimed £600 on hanging baskets and £900 for painting her summer house, shed and pergola. She later said it had been a mistake to submit large gardening bills. This year she got a DBE. I wonder who recommended that then, because it sure as heck wasn't John Q Public!

Unlike most of us working grunts, who have to tighten our belts, accept little or no pay rise while the country gets back on its feet...these leeches want more from the pot, and not just a little more....they want a 32% pay rise...

Pigs feeding at the trough...and to plagiarise George Orwell those pigs are now saying 'ordinary public good, MP's better'

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Eric

But what should be the qualifications needed to represent thousands of people in the House of Commons

A bit of good old common sense wouldn't really go a miss Eric