To wonder why on earth you'd want to be a MP?

[OtraCosaMariposa]

Why does anyone - whatever their political persuasion - put themselves forward for this role? You have to be in London for extended periods, often leaving your family behind. The money is good but many of them could earn a lot more doing other stuff. You get death threats and abuse on a daily basis. When you're at your workplace and stand up to speak, you get boos and heckles from the people sitting opposite you. You have no job security.You have to read unpleasant stuff about yourself or hear people commenting about you, your party or the political system in general.

The whole thing seems to me to be a total nightmare and the most toxic working environment imaginable. No wonder so many of them are not standing for re-election.

I agree.

The wage is very good though, and I’m sure it opens a lot of doors to making more money.

I’m guessing people who are driven by money and power probably have different priorities to the rest of us.

I think a lot of the current batch of MPs clearly agree with you. Lots of them seem to be standing down at this election. Many more than usual.

Also to add - you're never really off duty. You can be summoned back to London during your weekend or holiday if there's some important vote. When you're in your constituency at the weekend you will be recognised and people will want to speak to you about whatever local issue they are worried about. You can forget anonymous nights out with your friends or a quiet meal with the kids. And your kids are fair game too for the death threats and abuse.

Power, money.

Always amuses me that people think that MPs do it for the money.
Many many MPs take a pay cut to become an MP, and spend many months working unpaid before elections to get elected.
DH is an MP. We spent every penny we had to get him elected- campaigning takes time and money.

He does it becuase he’s passionate about making this country a better place.
I wouldn’t do it in a million years.

How does he cope with the abuse though Genetic? Whatever your politics, you've got people calling you all sorts of names and being really nasty about you as a person rather than about your politics. Must be tough for you too - you won't see him for the next six weeks as it's full on campaign mode. Plus the risk that as of 12th December he's out of a job.

The money is quite shit really considering most of them are educated above an average level. My manager takes home more than the average MP working 4 days a week in a non-exec role in a small company.

I am really baffled why some of them do it, indeed. Our local one - Steve Baker - just seems to like the limelight wherever he can grab it. Others really seem to want to make a change.

There must be an element of wanting to be a part of history? That’s something that money can’t buy, though obviously very very few actually achieve it.

I think fewer and fewer people will want to do it sadly. And I worry with so many experienced MPs leaving what the calibre of those elected in December is going to be. It’s become an increasingly awful job - largely driven by the toxic nature of social media. Very worrying indeed.

The money isn’t good compared to what they could earn in the professions, financial services etc.

I think it is split between those who want to work to make the country better (whatever their political definition of better is) and those who want power.

My old constituency MP was one of the former and I would vote for her even though our politics differed.

We can all think of examples of the latter on all sides of politics.

I just looked up the salary. It’s only circa £75k. I really don’t understand. My husband ran once but that was before he had a family to support. I suppose it makes sense if you do a brief stint while you are going and consider it a public service out you are loaded and don’t need a proper job. Otherwise it seems mad to do something so demanding to not even earn enough to support a family.

I guess really though the money is shit when you consider how many hours they do. Like you say, they get called in on weekends and holidays too.

But it does lead to better jobs. Isn't the previous lib dem leader nick clegg now earning over a million pounds a year with fb? Or was that someone else?

Yes, Nick Clegg is with Facebook. But he was deputy PM, in a very senior position.

Someone who is a standard, back bench MP with no ministerial responsibilities (so most of them) is not going to walk out of parliament and into that sort of position.

True. They could still get jobs elsewhere high up, usually paid better, less stress.

For those belittling the money, when I say money it's not about the wage, it's about the potential long term prospects, what money could come their way if they are promoted in government. MPs hardly start calling food banks do they.

A friend of mine will be standing on 12th Dec. She's doing it because she believes that Brexit will be disastrous for our country and will screw over her children's futures. Re the abuse, I think her thinking is that she has to be courageous enough to stand up for what she believes in because if no-one does we're all screwed.

I think it's wrong to say "they're all motivated by power and greed" - this is not, I would say, true of most back benchers.

She hasn't a snowball's chance in hell - it's the sort of constituency which would elect a sheep if you put a blue rosette on it. (Mind you I can think of a few MPs where a sheep would do, if not a better job, at least less damage).

Nick Clegg was a journalist before becoming an MP so would have been unlikely earn £millions if he didn’t have the profile of being an ex party leader and deputy PM.

I personally wouldn’t fancy it, but traditionally they’ve had a lot of perks. I don’t think some of them do work long hours to be honest.

I know it's not a popular view, but I think MPs need to be paid more. Otherwise you get a lot of MPs from independently wealthy backgrounds who don't really understand how most of the population live.

But its odd that you all feel suitable MPs should be high earners in professional services! It loads more than a teacher, nurse, policeman would earn - why wouldnt they make good MPs. Its loads more than my DH earns and he has long periods away from home including weekends at short notice. I dont actually want a parliament full of people primarily motivated by wealth. My grandfather ran for election one year. He was as working class as you get. He was very focussed on workers rights as he worked in the london docks. He.was well respected in his community and spearheaded rights for employees. All without working in finance in the city.

BarbaraStrozzi wondering if your friend is in my constituency - the new LibDem candidate. I really feel for her as we are a Tory safe seat.

I didn’t even realise it was as low as £75k!! Blimey! My husband made more than that at 26 and didn’t finish his A Levels. Totally not worth it unless you married rich like IDS and just like something to occupy you in between hunting seasons.

EGOTISM.

Look at the back biting with their own parties though, if your not in with the current leader your stuffed.

The wage is very good though, and I’m sure it opens a lot of doors to making more money.

The wage is poor. I know a few MPs as they all took a substantial pay cut to be an MP.

I work at Westminster quite a bit. I wouldn't be an MP.

It loads more than a teacher, nurse, policeman would earn - why wouldnt they make good MPs.

It is less than primary Head in London , less than a secondary Deputy Head

My ideal job would be a cross party peer.

My organisation used to be pay aligned to an MP for the main role but they had to give up and pay people more as they couldnt get the staff at that wage.

Yes I know someone who is standing in December too. I haven't seen her for a few years so don't know her exact motivation, but she's not power hungry in the slightest. She's also standing in a constituency a long way from her home and I have no idea how she's funding it all. She's not from a rich background, middle class yes but state school and regular three-bed-semi house growing up. Not a country pile.

YANBU The system needs changing though. The personalization of politics is wrong. People think they can attack you however they like.

The FPTP sysyem no longer really works. Party politics means many politicians are fighting for the party not the country - evidence the recent call to election. It also means that good MPs get hounded for what "The Party" does - and yet as an independent they know they would never get elected.