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David Cameron today distanced himself from a senior Tory who wants MPs' salaries doubled to £130,000.
Sir Patrick Cormack sparked outrage by proposing the huge increase to replace the allowances system which led to the expenses scandal.
One Lib-Dem MP accused him of “living on Planet Zog” while a minister said his remarks proved how “out of touch” many Tory MPs were.
Within hours of the Standard revealing Sir Patrick's plan, the Tory leader acted to stop his party being damaged by a fresh storm over MPs' pay.
Sir Patrick's proposed rise from the current salary of £64,766 comes as Britain reels from the recession, dole queues grow and millions of workers are having to accept pay cuts or freezes. Sir Patrick, who failed in his bid to become Commons Speaker this summer, accepts that his proposal would almost certainly run into a wall of opposition but he believes it is the “best, fairest and cleanest solution” to the expenses scandal.
Sir Patrick, 70, outlined his plan in evidence to the committee on standards in public life which is conducting an inquiry into MPs' pay and expenses.
“I have reluctantly become convinced, over the last few weeks, that the most effective way of restoring public confidence in Parliament is for there to be a significant increase in Members' salaries and an abolition of all allowances, save the allowance to pay for staff and a constituency office,” he said in his submission dated 29 May.
“In order to ensure that Members could perform their parliamentary and constituency duties effectively, and have, where necessary, a second home, the salary of Members would have to be doubled at least ... ”
The Staffordshire South MP told the Standard: “I accept that the economic conditions of the times and implications for things like pensions are such that it would be difficult to persuade the great British public that this was the best way forward.”
Other MPs support a significant salary increase, including Conservative Douglas Hogg whose expenses claims famously included a bill for “moat cleaning” at his country home.
“A parliamentary salary does not support the lifestyle to which most professional and business classes aspire,” the barrister told the standards committee. “In order not to deter the professional and business classes from coming into the Commons, MPs should be paid a salary of around £100,000 together with appropriate expenses.”
Other MPs were appalled by Sir Patrick's suggestion. Overseas aid minister Mike Foster said: “David Cameron tries to talk tough on expenses for the cameras while behind the scenes his out of touch MPs are secretly trying to double their salaries.
“In these difficult economic times the public are not going to take kindly to MPs awarding themselves a huge pay rise.”
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said of Sir Patrick: “He must be living on Planet Zog to think that doubling MPs' salary would restore public faith in Parliament.
“While many people are struggling to make ends meet, it's outrageous and offensive for such a senior Conservative to propose doubling MPs' pay.”
Tory officials stressed that a number of Labour MPs including Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth have also suggested their salary should be increased.
Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, has proposed that all expenses should be scrapped and that the salary should rise to £80,000 for inner London MPs and £95,000 for those with constituencies outside this area.
Reader views (80)
And that is exactly what a fat, greedy cat looks like. I would love just half of his salary let alone double!!!
- Louie, London, South East, 19/08/2009 23:41
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He reminds me of Lord Manchester,if you watch Cromwell the film.
A greedy grasping individual out for all he can get and as for Hogg [how apt] words fail me other than useless windbag.
When are these freeloaders going to understand that the electors put them in to do what is best for the people of this nation and not to pursue their monetary ambitions.
The people of this country are struggling to make ends meet and these two muppets are talking about doubling MP,s salaries.
It beggars belief that they are so out of touch with the public,so what is Cameron going to do with these two muppets,I would say nothing even though it brings his party into disrepute.
Finally mark my words the next election is fast approaching and I fear there are going to be some almighty surprises for the main parties.
- Roy.C, wigan.england., 19/08/2009 22:30
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Why hasn't Frank, Mick, Rueben and the usual suspects blamed "Nu-Liebour" for these remarks? they usually have a ridiculous comment to make. C'mon guys what do you think (If that's the correct word)?
- Kerry Trubee, Purley, 19/08/2009 21:09
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his comments are pretty much what the vast majority of
m.p's would echo had they the temirity to venture so.
a very few politicos are there to serve. most are there to self serve and as has already been witnessed the new broom as the new speaker would have himself known has already plunged into the trough and any reforms will be to the benefit of politicos and not the great unwashed.
- M.O'Brien, london, 19/08/2009 16:40
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And there are people going to vote for this shower at the next election, what a buffoon, how out of touch is he and the rest of them, they still do not get it!!!!!! VOTE FOR A LOCAL İNDEPENDENT PLEASE!!!!!!!
- Jackie, England, 19/08/2009 16:37
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Tory..where's the money coming from? That's what you lot say when other needier people ask for help!
- Old Contemptible, Poole, England, 19/08/2009 16:24
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What the hell does this greedy foolish man take us for?
Everything I think!
- Keith, London Uk, 19/08/2009 16:18
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£130K is fair if this is the only wage settlement without expenses that MP's can earn. Do need to understand the legislature that is being implemented in Britain from the EU. Ignorance of the law is no defence when it is their signatures that are on the statutes, and they will be held accountable.
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 19/08/2009 16:07
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John, East Grinstead
Sterling is on the 'slide' because Mervyn King wanted to
inject £75 billion into the economy not because of anything David Cameron has said. David Cameron isn't
in government, he has no power, he is in opposition
- Spudina, Sassari, Italy, 19/08/2009 16:00
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Ministers and MPs are paid regardless of poor performance. The UK education system has been going down the tubes as illustrated by sliding down the world performance tables for a decade. In the world of business the education system would be in receivership and long before all the top staff, politicians, educationalists and government staff would have been summarily sacked. Why should be pay huge sums to people who cannot perform?
- Derek Emery, bedworth uk, 19/08/2009 15:56
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What is most gobsmacking is how low quality some of these knights of the realm are. plonking your plump behind on the commons benches for 40 years being mediocre at best does not warrant a knighthood. they are deeply average people and the honours system needs to be rethought.
- Gw, London, 19/08/2009 15:50
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Kick them out! Make these crooks go work at a real job for a living.
- Trunk, US, 19/08/2009 15:20
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Why should they be paid so much? Being an MP isn't exactly a hard job - all they do is sit in the commons, attend votes and hearings, correspond with their constituents and hold a weekly surgery. There is a case for them being allotted a small council flat if their seat is outside London and a secretary to help them with their caseload, but for work this easy, I'm sorry but 130 K a year is way, way over the top.
- Matt, London, 19/08/2009 15:06
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Of course failed Speaker candidate and job for life Cormack is absolutely right. but I'd put the figure a much less £110 000 pa and not a penny more. Compared to other countries our MPs are paid a pittance. Its a wonder that we don't see more rough sleeping in the doorways of Oxford St.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 19/08/2009 14:54
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You want to stand for election to Westminster:
You and family live in place A
Constituency you get is in B
You MUST live in B just to stand for election.
You get elected you MUST have residence in London.
So you have three homes to run.
You MUST have staff.
How can you do that on £60k Gross Pay?
- Terence Wright, Crediton, Devon UK, 19/08/2009 14:32
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On the positive side, if he did get a payrise, he could afford a decent barber and a personal trainer.
- Carl, London, 19/08/2009 14:26
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I really think it is time to accept that we do need MPs and we do need to pay them. Providing a salary with no expenses system at all does not seem to me to be a particularly outrageous suggestion. Whether doubling the current salary produces the correct amount is a matter of judgement, but again does not seem to me to be wholly outrageous. Why cannot we simply wait for the results of the independent review that is currently in progress and see aht emerges from that?
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 19/08/2009 14:19
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@Kevin T. Policemen, nurses etc. are important jobs but if you read what I said, I didn't actually say anything about how we should not pay nurses, policement etc. more. However, I would say that MPs, as our legislature are extremely important - they create, destroy and amend laws, hold our government and civil service to account, represent (not all of them successfully) community and constituency interests, provide the very framework within which police and nurses and so on have to operate. And for a role like this (which, btw, includes a great deal of public scrutiny, little home life, a lot of moving around (for which they should be compensated as well) yes, I only want the most intelligent and best people around.
- Ce, London, 19/08/2009 14:15
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The tories are showing their true colours.
- Paul, London, UK, 19/08/2009 14:10
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Well folks if you thought Nu-Labour was bad then voting for this lot will lead you to be sorely disappointed. After the usual two terms in office everyone will be wanting to vote Labour again...and so it goes on.
- Mark H, London England, 19/08/2009 14:09
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An MP is supposed to represent something in the order of 60,000 people per constituency. Therefore, £2.25 per person per annum does not seem too much to me.
If the MP was thereafter precluded from recovering all so-called expenses, fair enough. Mr Palmer's point about London MP's is met by Parliament purchasing permises for those who do not live within a distance of, say, 1 hour's drive from the House. As for staff, what's wrong with a dedicated secretarial department employed by the House.
We've got into this mess over expenses by a nod and a wink that some of the money is really salary but don't let on and then followed by just plain greed. What the general public wants is transparency and there isn't anything more transparent than just giving the MP's a salary. When travelling to and from London an MP can be issued with a voucher to travel on the most apprpriate and most cost-effective transport.
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England, 19/08/2009 14:04
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I'm for them tripling it or more! Provided they can:
- Sort out unemployment
- Sort out immigration
- Pull our army boys out
- Fix the economy
- Sort out the crime rate
- Be more honest with Joe Public
If not, then let's introduce some penalty clauses 
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK, 19/08/2009 13:55
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Any MP who really thinks he is worth £130,000 per annum like this plonker is perfectly at liberty to market their talents in the private sector - well !! off you go then.
- Alan, Essex, 19/08/2009 13:44
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This has just confirmed my decision to vote LIB DEM at the next election.
- Gj, London, 19/08/2009 13:34
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64k a year is plenty for a 3 or 4 day week. MPs do NOT work more than that and if they tell you different they are lying (which has become perfectly acceptable in our sick 'nulabour' society). Unless an MP spends every day knocking on constituents' doors - there simply isn't the work to do. I don't think attending hospitality functions is 'work' and this is what most MPs spend their time doing - especially under nulabour. Cameron is right - MPs salaries should be lowered.
It's a complete travesty and as usual the british public are falling for it and believing the lies and spin. Blair screwed the whole system up by trying to create professional MPs rather than having MPs who held second jobs and therefore were a dam sight more experienced in the real world than the current bunch of brainless comliants.
- Margy, London, 19/08/2009 13:31
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I agree with Kate of London...BUT!
We need to at least HALVE the number of MPs we have. There are just too many at 646. Even 323 is still too many! Even the United States has only 435 voting Members of Congress. Think about that!
- Michael Spencer, Toronto, Canada, 19/08/2009 13:26
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If you don't like the pay mate, go and get another job, that's what the rest of us do, and let's be honest, for the number of hours you work (I use the term cautiously) to take home salary you're all raking it in.
- Bob, Cheam, 19/08/2009 13:21
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The gloss is certainly coming off the Cameron project. In the last few days we have had - let's get rid of the NHS, double our pay and Cameron bad mouthing the UK's financial stability (needless to say sterling is on the slide - nice one Dave).
I am sure Cameron will be PM by May 2010. I am equally sure that he is not PM material. Our beloved country is in for a rough ride.
- John, East Grinstead, UK, 19/08/2009 13:12
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The clear solution is to either pay the MPs by the hour, or by the day worked. This would stop the outrageous summer holiday and actually push more Bills through Parliament (and with that more debate which is clearly needed). I have no issue with their pay, but it should be proportionate to the work they do, work that is transparant and not the usual excuses. So let's say £30 per hour? £200 per day? That'll sort it. Get back to work!
- Rod, Epping, UK, 19/08/2009 13:08
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IF YOU PAY PEANUNTS YOU GET MONKEYS.
I live in Singapore where the Prime Minister is the highest paid in the world, something like GBP 1.2 million per year. However in return for Ministers high pay we live in a country which is arguably corruption free including of course the parliament. I love it - the system works. Best of all we have Ministers who are on a par in terms of skill set to the CEO's of large Banks and MNC's.
Don't you get it? If you pay low salaries and shame your politicians in the media then what sort of talent are you going to attract to parliament? All the Oxbridge grads are never going to pursue a career in politics.
If you pay peanuts then you get Monkeys and do you want corrupt Monkeys running your schools and hospitals?
- James Macgregor, Singapore/London, 19/08/2009 13:04
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Yes, MP’s should get a pay rise.
However, we need significantly less of them. The MP’s job and responsibilities have been diminished over recent years. The EU is now the legislative parliament, our MP’s made sure of that. Most laws put the onus on local councils to do the real work; our MP’s made sure of that.
The problem for most MP’s is they have been the ones that have voted themselves out of a job, we the People had no say in it.
There is also no problem with MP’s getting legitimate expenses. However, they do need to understand, their main home is always in the constituency they serve and like the rest of us they have to look after that from their income. If we have to pay for them to have somewhere to flop when they attend Westminster for the 165 days a year, there can be no argument.
All MP’s expenses should be scrutinised by the constituency that elected to have them as their representatives.
We the People want government by the People for the People, anything less just won’t do.
- Ian, Reading, England, 19/08/2009 13:00
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"...Sir Patrick Cormack believes the huge increase should replace the allowances system, which has plunged Parliament into disrepute, and would help restore public confidence."
Does this make sense? Yes. If there were no expenses, the whole expense-monitoring machinery can be scrapped and it would more or less pay for itself.
Would it restore public confidence? Yes. Everyone would know where all their taxes were going, and that would be the end of any more scandals.
This is a thoroughly good suggestion which deserves a bit of serious consideration, rather than a knee-jerk reaction.
- Kate, London, 19/08/2009 12:50
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How about; get rid of this MP, and get someone in who would happily work on his salary.
You mention Labour & people think of tax, you mention Tory & people think of greed. Always the way.
- Dom, London, 19/08/2009 12:45
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I really do think it is time that the current form of parliament was scrapped and we lose these fat-cats (on all sides) who have time and time again proved to be worthless, cheats and liars. The indication now is that they are init for the money and blow the rest of the population. With a bit of luck this idiot will be sacked and never heard of again.
- Adam, London, England, 19/08/2009 12:45
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I know the Torries can't loose the next election but they sure are trying.
If you think the pay is poor then dont be an MP
- Clear, London, 19/08/2009 12:44
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If MPs' salaries are to be increased we need to do something to ensure the quality of those elected. We also need to spell out their duties and responsibilities and to ensure there is some mechanism to measure the way they perform.
Some of the current shower are simply not up to the carrying out the duties and responsibilities that should be vested in them.
- Dw@Wolds, Loughborough, 19/08/2009 12:38
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The bloke must seriously live in a bubble if he had the nerve to say that after all the hoohar that's been going on about expenses for so long. Or maybe he's just mental?
And Frank from Copenhagen - pandas have charming markings about their eyes, not flabby eyebags! LOL
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 19/08/2009 12:34
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It would be far easier to make all MPs, Bankers; that way they will forever be supported by the taxpayers who have no say in what they do with the money they get, and they will also be immune from all criminal law.
They say if you pay peanuts; all you get monkeys; for years MPs have been underpaid in their opinion, this is why we have had so many rats in the House of Commons, they have to scrounge and scavenge like rats all the time, just to live.
Make them all Bankers; and call it a day……..Mick.
- Mickinlondon, london., 19/08/2009 12:32
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It is simple, if they believe they can earn more elsewhere, they should leave and take up an alternative post in that field.
Between the Downing Street Press Machine and the EU there is little actual control left to our MPs these days. Perhaps if they showed some backbone and regained their powers over these people then they might deserve to be paid accordingly.
Plenty of "Professionals" earn far less than 130k, let alone 64k. The average UK salary (falling) is around 25k. MPs pay should be index linked to the average UK salary, maybe around 2 or 3 times as much.
- Graham, London, 19/08/2009 12:28
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I think his idea makes perfect sense, even if the amount he is suggesting is questionable. But then again, if you are stimulating a debate, you might as well aim high with your opening gambit.
Wholesale reform of central and local government politicians is needed, and I think the idea of replacing the rather inscrutable allowance system with a fixed salary is a perfectly reasonable.
The wider issue though as far as I am concerned, is whether the people want professional salaried politicians who in recent years have proved rather clueless as to the wider needs of the nation, serving instead the narrow interests of lobbyists, or a government made up of professional people from all walks of life who can make a valuable contribution to government whilst continuing with their professional interests ?
- John, Twickenham, 19/08/2009 12:24
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I do not believe he is that stupid. They really have thought we have forgotten the lies.
If you want more money get a REAL job like the rest of us do. I suspect many of the current batch of gravy train riders will have to leave the train in the very near future
- Ge, Cornwall, 19/08/2009 12:22
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One is tempted to say " On your bike",but most of then do that already,although it has been revealed that some have their chauffers driving behind them.
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD, 19/08/2009 12:20
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I agree with Sue, Orpington, Kent but I would go further and make them stay in local council B&BS and hostels like those who have lost everything due to the voracity and more poor running of this country but a house of commons not fit for pupose.
- Gary, Brentwood, 19/08/2009 12:05
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Ministers may be underpaid in relation to their responsibilities but backbenchers give every indication of being greatly overpaid in relation to their abilities.
Reduce the number of MPs and improve their quality before considering their salaries.
There should be a far higher minimum age to become an MP, and no one should be qualified to stand without showing evidence of a previous responsible job in the real world which had no connection with politics or political parties. Acting as a political researcher should not be a qualification for candidacy.
- Warren H, London, 19/08/2009 12:02
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This is actually a sensible suggestion provided that it is coupled with the abolition of all extra allowances and payments for MPs. Just give them the £130k and then let them run their homes and offices etc etc with it and keep what is left as their salary.
We would soon see who was efficient and conscientious and who was just greedy.
- Matt, London, UK, 19/08/2009 11:56
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If these tory's or any MP are not happy with there salary then they should resign immediately and get anther job - Simple
- Roy Wylam, Farnham, 19/08/2009 11:54
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There may well be some exceptionally talented, honest, and hardworking MPs who attend all parliamentary sessions, represent their constituents' interests and make a genuine contribution to national issues. These deserve a £100,000 salary. But only these. When you look at some of the obese, shabbily dressed mediocre MPs who are also in ministerial positions, such as the so-called Education minister Jim Knight, who has admitted that his spelling could be better, and the Defence minister Bob Ainsworth, who admits he is generally intellectually deficient, the fool Duncan or some of the other proven expenses cheats who are now being investigated, it is hard to make a case for raising all MPs salaries. For all his weaknesses, PM Brown is actually educated and has a Ph. D.
No, if the public are to pay more MPs, we should expect a much higher calibre of candidates and MPs. We don't want to reward mediocrities in government with positions of power and responsibility. The public might tolerate a rise to an £80,000 salary without any allowances if in addition the number of MPs were to be cut.
- Sandeep Murthy, Oxford, 19/08/2009 11:50
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if the salaries paid to MPs is so poor then at the next election I guess the majority will quit to find better jobs elsewhere!!!
- Gareth Mills, London, 19/08/2009 11:50
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THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE TO SERVE US!! GO AND WORK IN A BANK OR START A BUSINESS IF YOU WANT TO EARN A LOT OF MONEY, NOT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
- John C, Cornwall, 19/08/2009 11:49
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Patrick Cormack is a clown, and the worst sort of old style back bench MP. The expressions bed blockers and road blocks to reform were made for his sort, and the sooner they are out of our politics, the better.
- Max Parker, london, 19/08/2009 11:47
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"PAY THEM A MAXIMUM OF GBP50,000.00 PER YEAR AND NO SECOND HOME ALLOWANCES, NO SUBSIDISED TRAVEL." - won't work! You pay peanuts and you get monkeys, and we're already a long way down the ape trail with a lot of the MPs we have now!
- Paul, London, 19/08/2009 11:40
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He looks like a Panda. Sadly, he won't be on the extinct list just yet. Lock him up in a cage and feed him on bamboo. It won't be long before his senses return and make sure he doesn't claim the cage as a second home and put the bamboo food on expenses.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark, 19/08/2009 11:35
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IT'S ABOUT THE PENSIONS, PENSIONS, PENSIONS
£130,000 salary = PENSION based off £130,000
That's all this is about. How to get yet a larger pension.
- Julian, London, 19/08/2009 11:33
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Oh dear, the politics of envy. If we want better people to govern then we should raise their pay and have their office expenses centralised. However the other side of the coin should be a reduction in numbers to 450-500, a term limit (say 2 or 3 terms max), no outside paid work during their terms and more effective and efficient working hours. In addition Parliament should get back some powers taken by the Executive - more time for debate for example. Sadly MPs only have themselves to blame for the public attitude towards making theirs a professional environment.
- Peter Bench, London, 19/08/2009 11:28
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Are we really considering voting for a Party with members who come out with reamrks like this?
My suggestion is that Mr Cameron needs to take pretty drastic remedial action here.
- William Grierson, Kimpton-UK, 19/08/2009 11:17
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"Ce", if that's such a stupid idea, why do we take the exact same policy with the salaries of police, firemen, teachers, nurses and soldiers? Do we want the worst people in those jobs? Are they not important jobs? I would rank them all higher than MPs in terms of usefulness. Most of that lot simply do whatever their party leaders tell them. I don't know why we need 646 people to just vote the way Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg want.
Incidentally, as disgusting as this MP's outburst was, it's amusing to see Labour criticising it.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 19/08/2009 11:03
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This is the obvious solution which I have recommended for months. With no expenses there can be no fiddles. I'd go further and triple salaries and make them pay staff salaries and office space from that salary. It would cost much less too and save the costs of the whole utterly disastrous Fees Office.
People who react with hooror to this need their heads examin ing - they haven't thought before writing.
- Christina Speight, london, UK, 19/08/2009 11:01
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GREED,GREED,GREED.
HAVENT WE ALL HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SICKENING QUEUE AT THE WESTMINSTER TROUGH.
M.P's currently earn enough to live quite comfortably thank you very much. M.P'S SHOULD BE SETTING AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND TAKE A 50% PAY CUT ( and they could still live quite well on £30,000.
In these increasingly hard times , parsimony is the order of the day.
WE NEED TO FORM A PARTY TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE AND PUT A STOP TO OUR CORRUPT,WASTEFUL AND UNCARING "DEMOCRACY"/GOVERNMENT NOW.
I THINK GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE , BY THE PEOPLE IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR.
OR DOES EUROPE TRULY HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR ONCE GREAT NATION.
HOW DARE THEY TELL US TO SCRIMP AND SCRAPE AND GO WITHOUT WHILST THEY SINK THEIR SNOUTS INTO THE SLOP TROUGH.
SOMETIMES I DREAM OF PARSIMONY.
MR ( I DREAM OF PARSIMONY) PASTRY
- Mr Pastry, OLDE LONDON TOWNE, 19/08/2009 11:00
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Kev - London, UK You got it in a nutshell!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 19/08/2009 10:54
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I'll stick my neck out as I'm an MP myself. Some of the posts above are mistaken - most MPs (on the Labour side at least - I don't know the others as well) don't have privileged backgrounds, with well-known exceptions; smoking isn't allowed in Parliament; and there are a lot of MPs who have had good careers outside politics. I had an 18-year career in IT management and was earning a good deal more before 1997 than I do now as an MP; that's not unusual. I doubt if paying politicians much less would attract such people into politics.
I think Patrick Cormack's suggestion is the wrong solution, though. It would benefit London MPs (who don't need a second home) for no particular reason. I think Parliament should own or long-term lease flats around Westminster and provide them rent-free to MPs with distant constituncies: most of the recent trouble has arisen from MPs buying their second home with taxpayer help. It would make sense to pay MPs more for extra commitment - sitting on extra committees, for instance. That seems to me a more workable solution than doubling salaries for everyone. And yes, why not build in an incentive link to average income, so that MPs benefit when the country does well and share the pain when it doesn't?
- Nick Palmer Mp, Nottingham UK, 19/08/2009 10:50
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Well he looks as though he has eaten well at the table but really with 70% of our legislation now coming from Brussels I feel many redundencies are in order for such lazy people who have unheard of holidays in the private sector.
Westminster is corrupt, indolent and not fit for purpose to represent us
- Majorie, Basingstoke United Kingdom, 19/08/2009 10:47
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Hang on- I'm an education professional & I finally earn £32 pa- after many years of service. The professions are full of those earning around £30-40k, so why does it take £130k to attract MPs to their 'profession'?
- Professional But Poor, Essex, 19/08/2009 10:47
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I can`t see that a MP puts in £130,000 worth of work or effort, except maybe when filling in his expence forms.
- Barbus, Liverpool, 19/08/2009 10:46
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@Reuben Camara: what an astonishingly ill-informed and ridiculous idea to espouse - pay our MPs less and give them more work?! Great, that's the way to really attract the worst and least bright people, who couldn't earn any more elsewhere, into such an important job.
- Ce, London, 19/08/2009 10:24
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His arrogance is staggering. We have the most corrupt governnent in living memory - most of whom ought to be serving custodial sentences for theft and fraud - and he is asking for his salary to be doubled. Since no qualifications are required to be an MP, and as most of them work a 2 - 3 day week at best - their salaries should be halved. The ease with which it is possible to abuse the expenses system has meant that the calibre of MP we have in the house at present is the lowest of the low.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 19/08/2009 10:22
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The corruption and incompetence of our politicians springs from politics being a career. Were MPs not paid more than minimum necessary expenses, it would be a job for people who have already had successful careers in society and the economy. They would be older, more experienced, know about what they govern, not "on the make", with proven competence, and most would be doing the job out of a wish to serve.
Instead, we have politicians in charge of ministries, who have had experience of neither the world they govern nor of running organisations. For our MPs, being re-elected and staying in power must come first, as their families' incomes depend on it; and so selection of new MPs is over-influenced by who looks attractive on TV, and policy is directed at gaining good headlines and sound-bites from our sensationalist media, and not on mature consideration of the country's long-term interests..
- Richard, london engand, 19/08/2009 10:22
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hogg of the moat surely must be lord hailshams little lad is that the route to parliment nothing to do with ability
- Anon, leicestershire, 19/08/2009 10:15
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if we double their apy, maybe they can get a decent haircut !
- Philippe Le Peutrec, London, 19/08/2009 10:14
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Rikrok,London. Being an MP is not a profession,any body can be a MP,you only have to get x amount of people to vote for you,it requires no training,many MPS have had no experience of politics previous to becoming a MP.One might say its the last refuge of scoundrels.many are the sons and daughters of wealthy parents who have millions in the bank and go into politics simply because they have no skills and nothing better to do.And in any case politics is a false science.personally i don't think modern politicians are worth any thing,unlike the politicians of the past who actually had beliefs and convictions and principles,unlike the spin and spineless sycophants we are lumbered with today.I would not cross the road to vote for any of them.As for paying them more,why not pay them by results!reduce crime and get a bonus!etc!
- Kev, London-UK, 19/08/2009 10:12
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I have no problem with paying MPs the going rate. If you want top people to apply for the top jobs you pay the top money.
- John, Bournemouth, 19/08/2009 09:51
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Is the £130,000 per annum just for being an MP,or £130,000 for each of their other jobs as well?
- Colin, Bristol, 19/08/2009 09:49
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I have a much better idea than what this parasite is spouting.
CUT THE NUMBER OF MP's FROM 648 to 200.
PAY THEM A MAXIMUM OF GBP50,000.00 PER YEAR AND NO SECOND HOME ALLOWANCES, NO SUBSIDISED TRAVEL. NO SUBSIDISED BAR IN THE HOUSE OF CONMEN. NO SMOKING IN THE HOUSE OF CONMEN.
LET JOE PUBLIC DECIDE WHO SHOULD BE AN MP AND HOW MUCH THEY SHOULD BE PAID.
- Reuben Camara, Principality of Morecambe, EUSSR, 19/08/2009 09:47
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I think this headline conveniently (mischeviously?)misses out that he called for a salary increase to REPLACE the outrageous expenses system which caused public outrage and the premature demise of New Labour's Speaker Martin.
Perhaps the increase is excessive, but, as they say, it's open to full negotiations between ALL parties in the House of Commons, so perhaps we need to keep our cool and watch this space.
- Ted, London, 19/08/2009 09:45
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Keep their salaries the same and abolish all allowances. If they need to stay overnight in London they should stay in a purpose built apartment block just for MPs, save the taxpayers a lot of money. Seemples! We have to pay fares to commute to work and so should they.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 19/08/2009 09:38
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The biggest problem in this country is not the striking postal staff or the railway workers,or the ordinary working guy.Its the dopes in Parliament,you only have to look at this guy with his daft hair cut.
- Kev, London-UK, 19/08/2009 09:38
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I agree, MPs should be paid far more, they lag well behind in pay compared to other professions, and we need to attract better people to our legislature....these people review our laws before they are passed, so we want quality people who feel they are being paid enough to do a good job.
That said, being an MP should then be their only job for the term of their employment, no directorships or running their own business on the side.
- Rikrok, London, 19/08/2009 09:37
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IN YOUR DREAMS!!!!!!
A large proportion of MPs, in most people's mind, should be facing significant jail terms for fraud, there is no justification for a pay rise.
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 19/08/2009 09:34
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Someone please tell me this clown is having a laugh. Surely he can't be serious.
Can we please put him on a Ryanair flight back to Planet Zog??
- Ak, Haringey, London., 19/08/2009 09:32
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Senior Tory MP??!
I say he's an idiot.
- Steve, london, 19/08/2009 09:30
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I think it's a great idea as long as ALL (tax-free) allowances are scrapped and MPs holidays are adjusted to between 22-30 days like the private sector. And they should be required to attend the House regularly to get full pay.
- Ab, London, 19/08/2009 09:24
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