Furious that MP's are to get an 11% pay rise!

[Millenniumbug1]

Why? When the rest of the country is wondering how we're going to pay our heating bills, we had 30,000 deaths due to the cold last year, (many more than Switzerland), but the MPs award themselves this pay rise.
I always feel indebted to vote, but I wish we could have a box on the ballot paper which says that we don't like any of them! I just don't think they've earned an 11% pay rise.

[Corygal]

The rise is repulsive. When's the election due?

[PointyChristmasFairyWand]

I think there are some MPs who probably do deserve a rise. There are many who do not - it should be a highly responsible job, but when you see the perks - and let's not forget the truly diamond plated pension they get - and when you see how many of them bother to turn up then the picture looks quite different.

And as many above have said, when everyone else in both private and public sector except the bankers are getting virtually nothing, accepting an 11% rise is political suicide. They are going to have to take on IPSA about this now.

[SirChenjin]

There are thousands of workers who deserve a pay rise - sadly they aren't getting one, or if they are, it's nothing like 11%.

Surely to God they won't take this pay rise - surely?

[expatinscotland]

They work only 145 days next year.

[badasahatter]

I have just signed a petition:-

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/david-cameron-stop-the-11-pay-rise-for-mps-salaries?share_id=bzhnEsKiYQ&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Even if it has been proposed by an independent body, surely if it had been proposed for any other industry the government would argue that such findings can't be supported during a time of economic regrouping?

If all other industries (except executive bankers, obviously) are being pinned back to desultory pay rises, why should politicians be any different?

[openerofjars]

If some MPs are hard working types who deserve a swingeing huge massive pay rise, why, then let's bring in performance related pay for the old dears and see how they get on, eh?

Meanwhile, I shall go back to googling how to build a tumbril and looking for my knitting needles. What's a suitable knitting pattern for this sort of occasion?

[Millenniumbug1]

A scarf!

[farrowandbawlbauls]

PMSL on performance related pay - that would be brillliant.

[PigletJohn]

if they were on PRP, how much would some of them have to give back?

[SirChenjin]

badasahatter - epetition signed.

[openerofjars]

Hang on, I've got a figure for that right here...

...all of it.

Bastards.

[kerala]

Don't get the vitriol. I know some and most decent and work really hard. It's bloody difficult maintaining family life when you work away and they do really long hours. And as this thread demonstrates whatever you do everyone hates you. One of the people I know is super bright could be on twice her salary in the city but feels passionately about improving things so is in politics. It's tough on her and her little daughter. So no wont be joining the baying mob

[farrowandbawlbauls]

Will your friend be handing back the payrise then?

[SirChenjin]

Ahhh, bless your friend and her really long hours...and her long holidays, and second home, and her allowances...

If you really don't get the vitriol then you really don't have a clue, do you?

[VevvieXmas]

It's the "we're all in together" from Dave that's wound a lot of people up. We're clearly not in it together. And what about the austerity, they're certainly not practicing what they're preaching. I can't see how it's justified.

[badasahatter]

It's a baying mob because the majority of politicians are not worth the money they are paid. Most of them earn ludicrously more than the average wage and won't see a payrise for a number of years because of the economic climate.

I know a woman who is incredibly bright, has a degree in English and a masters in Speech and Language and works incredibly hard for less than £20k a year. She could earn much more money doing something else, but she wants to help children with special needs and works with a small boy who has hearing difficulties and major speech development. She won't be getting an 11% payrise this year. Nor will nurses or teachers or policemen, many of whom are bright and hard working. Many of them face dangers and difficulties in their jobs and their children have a terrible time of things as a result of this. They won't get this level of payrise because the PM has said that public servants shouldn't be given payrises when the rest of the country tightens their belts. We are all in this together.

But apparently, this doesn't apply when it comes to MPs' salaries. That's why there is so much vitriol against politicians. That and the fact that half of them don't know their arses from their elbows and don't have a grasp of what it's like to live on basic wages or try to meet the bills.

[badasahatter]

Sorry..was frothing. I meant to say, most of them ludicrously more than the average wage but the average person won't see a payrise for a number of years because of the economic climate. Doh!

[badasahatter]

Earn ludicrously more. Froth less, think more Badasahatter!

[SteamWisher]

kerala we're told that there's no money for pay rises.

NHS workers who save lives with their skills are told by Jeremy hunt that they can't even have 1%.

Yet there's money for 11% for MPs?

So I will happily form part of the baying mob.

[DangerRabbit]

Hmm. Bad timing for them to award themselves an 11% pay rise just before a general election methinks. Shouldn't they have waited until afterwards?!

Oh well, we're all in this together I suppose. For example, did you know MPs get £75 breakfast money per week?

[farrowandbawlbauls]

How many million is it for HS2 by the way?
How many millions have been wasted on the Welfare Reform fisaco?
How many millions is IDS about to write off because of his imcompetence?
How many teachers and TA's are about to loose their jobs thanks to Gove?
How many millions have been wasted with MP's claims?
How many millions is it going to cost to refrub and re build the Houses of Parliament?

and yet, normal hardworking every day people are told time after time - there is no money.

It really is no wonder why so many people are sick to back teeth of the whole lot of them. Liars, theives, law breakers, clueless, piss taking greedy, waste of organs. Do I sound angry? Too fucking right I am.

[Binkybix]

YANBU.

As I understand it their pension contributions will increase so overall it will be fiscally neutral, but still when other public sector pensions have changed there sure as heck have not been corresponding increases in salary.

I just don't buy the argument about needing to pay more to get the best. I don't think we necessarily want a homogenous group who would all be the types to pursue high-flying careers (not sure they'd make the best MPs anyway) and there are many people in public sector who could increase salary doing something else.

In practice they have little responsibility - I think they even get paid extra if sitting on Select Committees etc.

[VevvieXmas]

£75 breakfast money a week! FFS a lot of people, who contribute to their salaries through taxes, can't afford that on a weekly food shop! They are getting too greedy me'thinks in these times of austerity.

They should really practise what they preach.

[TensionWheelsCoolHeels]

I couldn't agree more with the majority here. I have had cause to write to my MP about an issue that mattered to, and he clearly hadn't even looked into the matter before sending an incoherent response. He did pass my concerns onto the minister involved in the proposed changes, and she completely ignored my point/concern, churning out her party's bollocks justifying their stance. Neither actually took any heed of what I said. Neither are worthy of the current salary, never mind an 11% rise.

[PigletJohn]

It's bloody difficult maintaining family life when you work away and they do really long hours.

Yes it is. And for those of us doing that who are not MPs, where's our 11% pay rise? Or even 1%? Not to mention our luxury flat close to work paid for by our employer?