General Chat

MPs have bowed to Government demands for restraint and awarded themselves a 2.25 per cent pay rise.

A backbench move to raise salaries by up to 2.3 per cent this year and 4.7 per cent next year was rejected by 196 votes to 155.

Another move to boost salaries with £650-a-year "catch-up" payments over the next three years was also rejected by 224 to 123.

It will be the last time MPs vote on their own pay rises after they agreed to link future increases to other public sector workers like doctors and teachers.

Gordon Brown earlier called for restraint among MPs, who are paid £61,181 a year.

Full article:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20080703/tuk-mps-award-themselves-2-25-pay-rise-dba1618.html

Ours isn't, he's as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

The laws they oversee, the financial changes they make in the country, the international relationships they have to build, then enormous responsibilities they do undertake, not always responsibly I'll admit, but they are all thing which affect our lives directly or indirectly. The burden of that kind of responsibility should be decently remunerated....as should those others who have our lives in thier hands, those who work on public transport, medicine, airways, etc. If the system were fair I would not quibble about MP's pay.

But the salary is still only part of their 'take home' pay.

The 'John Lewis' list still remains and they can
still buy and furnish their 'second' homes. on expenses. They voted NO to changing their expenses payments which I would think at least doubles most MPs salary.

Those in Government obviously do make life changing decisions for us all but it strikes me the ordinary MP takes no notice at all of their constituents and votes for himself and not for us.

Jean.

nope there not worth it.we need a fresh start i think.xx

They don't just get that though do they, they get all kinds of allowances as well. I don't know any other job where you get an allowance for your house (including decoration), car, etc...on top of such good pay.

The salary of 1 MP would pay for three juniour nurses.

Are MPs worth the money............Dont make me laugh.

They should get proper jobs. I would like to see them survive on my salary for a year, you will note that I said "survive" and not "LIVE"

Paul

Nope --- they are no help at all.

We need a new system.

Gill

One of ours, for Norwich South, is Charles Clarke, well you have all seen his performances when he was a friend of Tony B's!
The other MP for Norwich North, Dr Ian Gibson, does get lots of things done and is very approachable. He helped me a lot with the riverside safety measures I pushed the council to implement and was really supportive.
Lizx