Mps Pay Rise “Simply Unacceptable”. But "thank You Very Much" All The Same.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/11079707/MPs-will-get-10-per-cent-pay-rise-expenses-watchdog-says.html

/// MPs’ pay is already due to rise by 1 per cent to £67,731 next April and, under Mr Boo’s plan, would rise again a month later to £74,000 – 10 per cent higher than it is now. ///

[factor-fiction]

This was done to death ages ago.
The rates are set by an independent body which has to be better than letting MPs decide on their own pay.
It's the first rise for about 5 years I recall so you could just look at it as a rise of 2% pa that has been deferred.
Some MPs probably don't deserve it but for the level of responsibility and the workloads i think it's not execessive- I used to earn that nearly 10 years ago and I am sure I had an easier job.
But I'd agree it's a lot to most of us and an irritation to those of us who've had salaries frozen/restricted severely for the last 5 years.
What's the alternative? Pay peanuts and only attract the already wealthy who can afford to do it without pay?

[jno]

B00 is behind this? Well, anyway, it was thought proper to take MPs' salaries out of MPs' hands, so the level is set independently. What's the alternative?

[Farriercm]

FF It would seem with lot ,that we are employing Monkeys, and not paying them peanuts.

[aelmpvw]

amazingly £74,000 doesn't sound that much in this day and age but don't most of them double that with their expenses claims?

[factor-fiction]

Well vote them out, Farriercm. We chose our MPs and are free to nominate our own candidates to stand (or stand ourselves).
Yes, aelpmvw (hope I have the right spelling) although the expenses go to cover additional costs based on set rules and are now scrutinised very closely indeed.

[aelmpvw]

don't worry about getting my silly user name right, just call me ael ... because my username is alphabetical you had the mp the wrong way round :-)

[Farriercm]

FF This Lot were never voted in , they had to form a Coalition. Remember???

[aelmpvw]

as for choosing our mps, i've voted labour all my life and been represented by a conservative all my life

[jno]

nobody voted for anything but their local MP, Farrier, and that's what this is about, pay rises for MPs. You're free to vote them out, though that won't affect their pay scales, except for the unemployed ones

[Quizmonster]

With a minor change of name, IPSA - the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - could become the Independent Pay Standards Authority. Thus, they could look at anybody's pay rates. How about getting them to start with a study of Minimum Pay and Living Wage levels? Alternatively, of course, a new but similar body - also supposedly independent of Westminster - could be created for the task.

[Quizmonster]

J, I think your view about whom we vote for is somewhat disingenuous. Yes, we clearly place an 'X' on a ballot paper against the name of one individual candidate, so superficially "nobody voted for anything but their local MP," as you say.
However, millions of us place that cross where we do simply because the name is of someone who represents the party - or even party leader - we would prefer to form the government. Lots of us would probably not even recognise the actual person at all!

[jno]

Quizmonster, I've been voting on a local basis for years, though of course you're right to say that many do not.

However, that isn't really the issue here. The matter concerns pay for all MPs regardless of party. I imagine if Miliband was in power he'd be saying the same thing: Terrible example, we must do something about it, etc etc. Whether he would, whether Cameron will, I have no idea.

[sevenOP]

Seems most posters on this forum and only concerned by balance sheets i.e. cash, than actual solutions to real problems.
Of course, that is exactly how you are manipulated to react.

These MPs are meant to represent Your interests and until their sole income is this MPs salary these interests will never be honestly put first.

[Deskdiary]

In my opinion MPs are underpaid.

I'd prefer to pay them all, say, £250,000 each, but on the proviso they are full time MPs, i.e, no disappearing off the their Inns or Boards. You never know, by paying them a decent salary we may be able able to attract some decent talent.

[Old_Geezer]

In whose pockets are these members of an independent body then ? MPs should be paid according to results which by my reckoning means they owe us a few million at the moment.

[Old_Geezer]

MPs are not there to represent my interests, they are there to represent the wishes of their constituents otherwise they can't even make out it is a "representative democracy". Either they actual represent the views and how the individuals as a group would vote, or they do not. If the vote in any other way they should explain why the debate changed their mind. Any dictator can claim to be representing your interests.

[ummmm]

I don't think they are over paid.

[lynbrown]

I think they deserve their rise. I of course cannot stand those who cheat, but there are wrong doers in every profession.

[Peter Pedant]

Yup Boo

I thought it was Ian Kennedy stuffing the MPs mouths with gold....

Sir Ian is soon to be in the lords - I feel quite sure