Should politicans get an above inflation pay rise?

Question

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20080703/tuk-mps-to-decide-whether-to-defy-pm-ove-dba1618.html

Will MPs decide to defy PM over pay? An independent pay review states that MP's 'deserve' a pay rise of 4.4%. Gordon Brown wants them to accept a rise of 2.2% instead. Who do you think is right and why?

Answer 1

Politicians need to get their house in order and be good role models for the rest of us.

They cannot accept a higher than inflation pay rise, it would send the wrong message during the current economic climate.

They must agree a transparent second home expense system - so they do not need a huge pay rise.

These people are not supposed to be living the celebrity life, it does not have to cost a fortune to serve their constituents.

Answer 2

they should all be cut to the average wage, that way they dont get paid extra unless they actually help the people.

Answer 3

If you have money pay them ; if you do not have then don't

Answer 4

I think that they should get a rise of at least 10% over the next few years to bring them in line with the salaries of the European Parliament members.  In addition the rules in the house of commons are too tight for claiming expenses and these should also be brought into line with Europe so that they can get their snouts in the trough as well.

Failing that these measures should pass, the MEP salaries ought to be cut by 95% and their expenses cut altogether.  This is justified on the basis that they only cause grief with their European legislation which is ignored by the rest of Europe.

Maybe the Houses of Parliament ought to be opened up to competition (like gas, electricity and the post) and we should have two Houses of Commons and accept the ones who provide best value for money.  This will certainly not be the present one!

Answer 5

Hi Captain Starkiller

My answer is NEITHER are right. Politicians get circa  ÃƒÂ‚£50k + circa £50k expenses.

If their salary was dropped to £25k + no expenses, this would bring them back into the 'real world' and then maybe we could get some 'real world' decisions from them when deciding policies.

Answer 6

No, they should receive within inflation rises in line with the majority of the electorate.

Answer 7

No, but the greedy b******s will vote for one.

Answer 8

nope

Answer 9

No, politicians should get a bullet to the head and fed to zoo animals. Actually thats not fair on the animals, burn the blood suckers instead.

Answer 10

2.2% same as everyone else, why should they get more. They have lost enough credibility as it is without adding to it with an excessive pay rise.....

Answer 11

Give the greedy b******s less, they clearly aren't doing their job properly.

Answer 12

YES

Answer 13

The government has handed most of their 'work' to unelected people in Brussels.

As they are now doing less work, they should be looking at a pay cut, not a pay rise.

Just think, in the real world, if one set of workers can have a say on what pay rise another set of workers gets and vice versa.

We would all be having 10%...lol

Answer 14

Not when we, their subjects, are struggling and they are begrudging people Inflation Rate increases of 3.3% in the public sector.

Answer 15

nope they get enough extras already greedy sh*ts.

Answer 16

No they shouldn't. What makes them so different from the Police or anyone else? We all deserve a pay rise but Brown has decided otherwise.Noses in the trough all of them!

Answer 17

I'd like to get a pay raise, regardless of the amount.

I agree that politicians should not get raises greater than inflation unless the general concensus is that they've done a good job and the economy supports it.

Answer 18

Absolutly not. If the Police are only getting 1.9% then MP's should be taking a pay CUT.

Answer 19

All pay rises should be based on performance, it is in the private sector.

Clearly the UK economy is taking a bashing, our standard of living is falling fast, pension funds are at risk, banks are unsafe, violent crime is on the increase, immigration is out of control, the education system is falling apart, the NHS lurches from crisis to crisis and the list goes on.

Now the people that we elected to govern for us want to award themselves a pay rise that cushions them from the trials and tribulations suffered by their employers.

They are clearly without conscience or integrity, in the real world they would be fired by their employer which in our case should be our Head of State.

However I'm afraid that its too late to do anything about it, you see, the inmates are already running the asylum.

Answer 20

No!What I say is!Pay them what they are worth!But!Would they work for galvanized washers!!In answer to the question!No!1% is a more realistic figure!They more than make up for it with their expenses 'manipulations'!!

Answer 21

Generous salaries are attracting "career politicians".People with no particular background skills.

MPs used to be people who were successful in other industries wanting to represent their views and those of others in Parliament.

Now we see most of the cabinet handed jobs based purely on gender or race (Jaqui Smith,Keith Vaz,harriet Harman)but bring nothing to the table.

There are actually people who would do the job voluntarily.Thats when we would know that they have the public interest at heart.

I'm not saying the job should be unpaid but I so suggest that a substantial reduction in pay would attract genuine politicians and former captains of industry who dont need to rely on the money.

Then we could avoid grabbing backbenchers like Diane Abbot MP for Hackney,who demanded that we all send our children to state school and months later sent hers to private.

Now that should have been a reason to resign.Obviously she has no honour and kept het job ,ironically so she could continue sending her kids to private school.

Answer 22

Politicians should not determine their own pay.    The cabinet are declining any increase.

Answer 23

Simple solution.  Tie the congress pay raises to minimum wage.  If minimum wage goes up $1 per hour, they make $1 more an hour.  If they complain I dare one of them to even attempt living off minimum wage like it actually sustains a persons living expenses.