of Tory MPs will revolt if their husbands turn down the pay increase.
It seems that the Tories are facing disaster. Back bench MPs are muttering,
wives are rebelling, cats and dogs are living together.
MPs other halves are saying that they are entitled to the 15% increase because
they have given up far higher salaries in other jobs to become MPs. Did those
same MPs not chose to become MPs knowing what the salary was. Did
someone force them into the job; is there a judge who has been sentencing con
men, thieves and people with criminally oversized egos to become MPs?
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to take that 15% pay rise but the
Wife/Husband/Girlfriend/Boyfriend/Pet cat is making me do it. I would turn it
down if I could”.
How childish is this going to get?
What is the next excuse going to be? Are we going to get spin doctors trying to
tell us that a 15% increase is really a decrease?
Are the big parties setting up marketing companies to run campaigns, “Your MP,
Value for money”? How stupid do the MPs and the Government think we are?
Wait don’t answer that, I know what the answer is going to be.
David Cameron has not revealed, as yet, if he will be turning down the increase as
he does not want to put undue pressure on his MPS.
Has anyone asked the PMs Wife if he is going to be allowed to keep or refuse the
increase as the Tory wives seem to be running this show?
One MP told the Telegraph backbenchers would be extremely unhappy with
Cameron if he tried to sham them into giving up the increase.
Ladies and Gentlemen of Parliament. May I suggest that if your biggest concern
is the PM trying to shame you into not taking a 15% pay rise at a time when the
vast majority of men and women in this country have seen pay rises of 1% or less
or multiyear pay freezes and not the fact that the men and women who elected
you are watching this happen and your response to it then you need to stop sniffing
the pixy dust while watching the unicorns play on the lawn.
The Tory Chief whip has given orders to the Tory MPS not to talk to Sky News who
have been trying to get MPs opinions on the pay rise.
Transparent government, I don’t think so.
Nick Clegg has already announced that he will be turning down the pay rise.
What has happened to the world? I know I had some cheese for supper last night
but that does not normally give me hallucinations. How is that we look to parliament
for moral courage, for ethics, for someone taking a stand against injustice, for a
grown up instead of screaming children and the only person we get is the Deputy PM.
According to the IPSA figures for the year 2011 – 2012 the average, that’s the average
not maximum, expenses claim made by a Tory MP was £31,614.23, Labour was
£36,685.51 and the Lib-Dems was £40,200.62. This is just the expenses; the £66,396
is the basic salary which is on top of the expenses.
The worst case was a labour MP called Jim, you know who you are Jim and you
claimed£86,908.81. The most money grabbing of the Tories claimed a paltry
£71,357.77, yes Simon I am talking about you.
How many people in this country earn £30,000 a year never mind £86,000 a year?
I have no problem with people being paid well; I just have the expectation that they
earn those princely salaries. Given the opportunity I would like a nice high salary
but I would expect to put in the time and effort to earn it rather than get it in pay
rises that were 15 times the average pay rise.
We are, hopefully, coming out of a time of great financial strain. Pay across the board
has been kept low. Pay freezes have been common.
Many have gone from full time to part time.
Many are struggling to feed their families and are turning to
food banks.
Everyone is suffering.
Well everyone apart from our MPs that is!
It must be nice to be an MP, 15% pay rise on a top of a£66,000 basic salary, £30,000
in expenses, subsidized meals at work, lots of jolly’s to attend. Very generous pensions
and perks.
If I ever find that I have lost my morals, my ethics, my honour, my sense of duty,
my integrity or my common sense I may well apply for the job myself.
I could not possibly do a worse job than the current team.