MPs shouldn't receive a wage...

[KingstonSeagull]

You seem to have a very vested interest in MPs wages, just thinking you might be trying to get the public's support on messaging boards...

 

[DIFFBROOK]

I was being flippant. I actually think that MPs salary should be linked to Civil Service grade 7. Not the most senior grade, nor nowhere near the bottom. Around £65k per year. Then when the Civil Service gets a pay rise, this automatically feeds into MPs pay.

As for Cabinet ministers, this should be set at Senior Civil Service pay

But why should that affect all M.P's, the Chancellor, maybe. Its a very narrow measure of the quality of overall governance.

 

[The Buttery Biscuit Base]

I have a problem with the amount of wealthy people entering into very significant positions in government (this includes the Labour party). 35% went to fee paying schools, that not representative of society as a whole.

Anybody whom is intelligent enough to become a decent MP but grew up going to state schools etc. or were not from well off backgrounds after graduating university have entered the private sector because that is where the money is. Why would someone enter a career that pays a very low wage (£60,000) for the significance of the job (they are running the 8th largest economy on earth, the 22nd most populous country). Why work as an MP when you could work at a corporate bank and earn that in bonuses alone? The wage is far below the US, Germany & France.

Parliament should be attracting the best of a true cross section of society, it can't happen if the money isn't representative of that.

A link to a short study on the make up of Parliament.
http://www.smith-institute.org.uk/file/Who-Governs-Britain.pdf


Politics needs to attract more people like Aneurin Beven. A real working class boy done good.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneurin_Bevan

 

[DIFFBROOK]

I agree with your first paragraph, but I dont believe that its down to pay. Certainly, pay for an MP needs to be set at a rate that attracts all sections of the community (and I think it was you that suggested this in an earlier part of this thread). But I do not think it should be set so high that the public sector (of which Govt is) is poaching the best from the private sector.

Remember, being an MP should be about public service and although it shouldnt be done on the cheap, nor should it be about getting rich.

 

[gazingdown]

I have a problem with the amount of wealthy people entering into very significant positions in government (this includes the Labour party). 35% went to fee paying schools, that not representative of society as a whole.

Also, how many MPs are from scientfic/engineering backgrounds compared to those from the legal/journalistic professions? How many are simply PPE grads onto being SpAds. and so on.

 

[The Buttery Biscuit Base]

I agree with your first paragraph, but I dont believe that its down to pay. Certainly, pay for an MP needs to be set at a rate that attracts all sections of the community (and I think it was you that suggested this in an earlier part of this thread). But I do not think it should be set so high that the public sector (of which Govt is) is poaching the best from the private sector.

Remember, being an MP should be about public service and although it shouldnt be done on the cheap, nor should it be about getting rich.

I'm not suggesting that we pay MP's in line with the private sector that would be disgusting! Just enough that it can be considered more seriously as a career with graduates (or even Joe Public for that matter).