Friday, January 11, 2013

MP's Pay

A bit of an own goal for most of our MPs, answering a questionnaire about their salary aspirations when they must have known the answers would make it into the public domain. Durr. Seems they reckon, on average, they deserve about £20k more a year.

But a contributor to PM on Radio 4 just now suggested that as there was a high demand for MPs posts, more standing for election than could possibly get the job, the salary ought to be lower. Interesting.

Some might say that politics would then fail to attract the brightest minds. Really? Who is the brighter, a politician who gives their life in public service or one who says they will be off unless they get more money?

My own profession has relied for years on providing clergy with just enough to avoid earning their livings. We do it for reasons other than the money by and large but are rapidly becoming one of the few occupations that both live on the patch and do it vocationally.

Anticipating the comment that we get a smart house rent-free, yes I know and this is a bonus. But after twenty eight years in any other profession I guess I might be able to live in my own house mortgage-free.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Quite right too! What sort of person believes they 'deserve' a huge great salary? Not the sort of person who should be running the country, that's for sure!