to think the PM should be paid more?

[chomalungma]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8750253/Subdued-Boris-Johnson-worries-money-salary-shrunk-150k.html

This is a tricky one. I loathe Boris Johnson - but this is about any PM. Not just him.

Yes, they get the flat at Downing Street. It's rent free. He doesn't have commuting costs.

But this is the top job in the country. Massive responsibility. Lots of hours of work.

Should the PM be paid more? (any PM BTW)

The remuneration for MPs, cabinet members and PM is low compared to a lot of similar status/responsibility posts. I think this ended up causing some of the expenses issues. I'm not for a moment suggesting £81k -£150k is a low income but arguably they would earn a good deal more in private industry given the status of the role. Mind you most of them wouldn't attain such a position in private industry because they're basically useless ...

I often wonder if it's a case of you get what you pay for with MPs.

Boris is rich. He hardly relies on his salary, does he?

I think this is something we want to discourage though. One of the problems of the Westminster government is the number of politicians that come from wealthy backgrounds (Eton educated etc) because they can rely on family wealth and don't need a decent salary.

Also, I don't think you can compare the job of MPs to teacher/doctor etc (and I am a teacher!). Yes, you should go into the job because you want to make a difference, but there is huge public and media scrutiny that goes with being a poiltician that you don't get in other "vocational" jobs, especially now with social media. This will put a lot of people off so there needs to be some level of salary that will attract.

This link is from 2010 but shows there were 170+ civil servants earning more than the PM. The highest was upwards of £279k pa.

Oops

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/may/31/senior-civil-servants-salaries-data

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/866327/150k-2019-Master1__4_.csv/preview

This will put a lot of people off so there needs to be some level of salary that will attract

I disagree.

First of, like many political jobs, you cannot just “apply”.

To get a top job in politics, you have to have contacts and, in many cases, it’s about “who you know”.

So it’s not about people reading the job description and thinking “oh no that’s not for me”.

Those that say it doesn’t pay enough tend to be the ones who earn shit loads and have to, quite rightly, give up their positions to take this job on.

They’re the ones moaning it doesn’t pay enough.

So I take their words with a pinch of salt.

Awww poor Boris worries about affording a nanny he doesn't need.

In general you don't want the leader of the country whoever they are to be worried about money- they need to focus on the task in hand.

That being said, the salary and expenses of everyone in government and parliament are way higher than the average people they represent.

Public service is not a cash cow. But 150000 is a weeks wages for many actors, sports stars, musicians Etc and a days worth of interest for billionaires.

He has a rent free apartment in a respectable part of London. Probably doesn’t pay any utility bills, TV licence and subscriptions, no car expenses. £150k will go very far if you don’t have to pay the biggest expenses most people have to pay.

He’s worried about getting his children through university? Well, the students should work a part time job to help them with extra money and choose a less expensive accommodation and lifestyle. Would help them develop good work ethic.

If he wants more money then he should’ve chosen a higher paying job, like CEOs of big charities and organisations.

Boris doesn’t get taxed on Downing St as a benefit in kind here, but given his American citizenship and tax issues there it’s possible the Americans do see it as benefit in kind and taxable

He relinquished his American citizenship last year

Pfft he's in the wrong job, he should see if he can get a slot presenting the breakfast show on radio 2 or MOTD
150k for being PM is a lot less than you can earn from other high profile roles ,incl city and journalism jobs, he has probably taken a pay cut and obviously has a lot more responsibility.
However it is prestigious, he will make millions on the after dinner speech circuit afterwards ( providing we are not perpetually in lockdown!) Book deals, board member etc.
And it has a lot of perks, free accomodation with no bills or running costs, free car with chauffeur, lots of expenses can be claimed.
Im sure Boris has enough assets and wealth to survive his low paid job.
He needs to show more humility, there are people out there really struggling.

I think it’s a huge salary. Stop moaning & get on with the job you wanted Boris.

350k seems reasonable. 150k is nothing for a PM.

I don't want to hear our PM is struggling to pay a Nanny!

I don’t think it’s a massive amount of salary for that level of scrutiny and responsibility, but I’d love us to have a flatter pay structure in this country, I’d argue that top paid civil servants, CEOs, etc are paid too much, not that other salaries should be inflated.

I also think that complaining about it during a time when a lot of people are being made redundant/closing businesses is crass and demonstrates how out of touch the ruling elite are. I’d be more inclined to get behind someone who showed an ounce of empathy.

At a time when Cummings was bumbling around the north of England testing his eyesight this is what the New Zealand government was announcing. Which one shows better leadership deserving a a decent pay packet?

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/15/jacinda-ardern-and-ministers-take-20-pay-cut-in-solidarity-with-those-hit-by-covid-19

Should’ve stayed a bloody telegraph columnist and kept his beak out then, shouldn’t he??

The plan was obviously to waltz in, do brexit, surf on the crest of that wave for 5 years then hand over to someone else. He’s in a foul mood because coronavirus has fucked that up royally and he’s quite conceivably lost the Tories the next election. His puppet master forgot to remind him that there might be other issues arising over the course of his tenure.

I think he’s a knob and I hope he falls on his arse and quits.

No he should not get paid more. Anyone paid by the public more than him should have that reduced.

wageindicator.co.uk/pay/vip-celebrity-salary/jacinda-ardern
She earns £250,000 in the first place. She gives me the heebee jeebees

@felineflutter

350k seems reasonable. 150k is nothing for a PM.

I don't want to hear our PM is struggling to pay a Nanny!

It’s not a 150k salary. That is added to MP salary so £231. That doesn’t include bonuses and benefits. In April he claimed £3, 250 in expenses, for example. He has a history of not declaring interests and has been sanctioned by parliamentary conduct committee for that. He has a recorded net worth exceeding £3.5 million. He has very few living costs. Carrie Symmons has appointed her own advisor as First Lady ( on a salary six figure salary). Only First Lady so to do. She can also claim a clothing tax allowance. Ms Symmons has a £50k salary and net worth of around £1 million.

I think they can probably afford a nanny.

fullfact.org/law/how-much-does-prime-minister-get-paid/
The PM's salary includes his MP's salary. So approx £150,000 in total

I disagree that it's not enough, but as a compromise we could all clap for him next Tuesday and create a badge he could buy himself to celebrate what an asset to the country he's been?

@Indecisivelurcher

If we pay more, do we get a better one?

£150000gross gives £90640net pay, which, assuming Carrie has no income, puts their household in the top 5% nationally (according to the IFS "where do I fit in" calculator).
That's even before taking into account that he doesn't have the costs (housing/commuting/clothing) most high earners have.

To be fair at his level £150k is not a lot compared to jobs in the city etc. But it's not like other jobs - the income comes later.
He does seem like a spoilt, self indulgent twat moaning about his current salary given the very difficult times some of his electorate are going through. If being a PM is not all he thought it would be, can he please resign now and let someone more able do the job - I'm quite sure those lucrative after dinner speeches will buoy up his bank balance in no time.

Carrie Symmons has appointed her own advisor as First Lady ( on a salary six figure salary). Only First Lady so to do. She can also claim a clothing tax allowance. Ms Symmons has a £50k salary and net worth of around £1 million.

Fascinating. Do you mind saying where that info is from?

@Adamandtheaunts

I disagree that it's not enough, but as a compromise we could all clap for him next Tuesday and create a badge he could buy himself to celebrate what an asset to the country he's been?

I think Keir Starmer would happily do the job for £150k and probably be better at it.