Forum Topic

MP's salary review.

MP's salaries are to rise.  At present they get a minimum of £64k per annum - its set to rise to £74k, but with a less generous pension and expenses(lower taxi charges etc). I think this is too much, given that thousands are finding difficulties in putting food on their tables and have not had a pay rise in years. IPSA are wrong in recommending this rise for MPs, even though it won't come into effect until 2015.What are your views?And I don't think MPs should have other jobs  - being a good MP is a full-time job if its done well.

Gerry Tan ● 4647d7 Comments

There are many good MPs.Among them Steve Pound who takes few of the allowances to which he is entitled and is, by all accounts, a damn good constituency MP.I say that as a lifelong Conservative voter. Steve, unfortunately for the residents, like me, of Ealing/Southall represents Ealing North.

Nigel Brooks ● 4645d

They were told that they could make up for the low pay with expenses. It is better that they have a higher salary and fewer if any expenses.We don't want the only people able to afford to go into politics to be millionaires.

Philippa Bond ● 4645d

The pay is not that wonderful. The timing for its introduction is wrong. We in Britain are going through a very rough patch and the very same Politicians are promoting austere measures. There will naturally be a hostile reaction at this Time.  Many of our MPs have found to be less than honest in their Claims and have incurred the displeasure of the public in Britain: another factor in the pay rise at this time being unpopular.

Os A Whittle ● 4646d

Trouble is that getting re-elected or not doesn't really depend much on how good you are at the job, but on how your party is perceived. There are exceptions, such as the much respected Sarah Teather being re-elected against all the odds (only to be rewarded with a loss of her ministry job), but they are rare.

Susan Kelly ● 4646d

As an MP, if you do a good job and get re-elected, you get five years guaranteed job security. If you are a poor MP then at the end of your five year contract you're out of a job. I see no reason to compensate anyone for that.Even with a change of political 'colour' good MPs keep their jobs so no need for a payoff.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

I don't think they are paid too much at present, or even that 75k would be too much, but agree that it's time to do away with some of the more nonsensical expenses, whereby they get a food allowance when they would have to pay to feed themselves if at home (mind you, you could make the same point about hospital food).Not so sure about the 30k pay-offs, Nigel, especially if MPs are to be forbidden from having outside work. Say you spend 10 or 15 years in parliament, then lose your seat at age 50: you'll be completely out of touch with your old profession, needing to retrain. Is five months' pay so unreasonable?I know people will talk about fixed-term contracts but this is such a new concept. When I was working, you got a job and they couldn't just dump you five years later with no recompense. I find the whole idea worrying: how are you supposed to take out a mortgage, bring up children, with no idea whether you're going to be in work from one year to the next?No one has much respect for MPs now, but how are we to get better candidates if we pay them badly and treat them like something the dog brought in?

Susan Kelly ● 4646d

I would pay them £80,000 if they were full time. 9-6 four days per week (leaving one day for full-time constituency business).I would pay for this by reducing the number of MP's (thank you the LibDems for scuppering this plan especially as it means I am still part of Ealing Southall!).I would also end the 'loss of office' payment where MP's who lose their seats are pain tens of thousands of pounds. With fixed-term parliaments they are on fixed-term contracts which will be 'renewed' by the electorate if they are any good at their job.Expenses would be minimised. No more subsidised bars and pensions which although good would not be at a level which attracts contempt.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d