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)

Actually, 150k, whilst an enormous salary to most of us, does seem on the low side for the person running the country. As a pp noted, the financial rewards of being PM come after the actual job, but even as an unfashionable lefty who has little sympathy for the gripes of the rich, I wouldn't complain at all if the PM salary were more.

For the responsibility it is low but presumably most PMs are set for life afterwards. Many people earn similar or more for much less pressure. I suspect the tax on Downing Street will be quite high- I didn’t realise that was taxed as a benefit. If the same applies the chequers then quite a big chunk could disappear off the £150k.

Nope. £150K with no rent and no commuting costs is plenty, it’s not our (the taxpayers) fault he’s spawned so many children, has multiple ex wives he probably has to pay maintenance to and can’t plan his own finances and save appropriately etc when he previously had an even more eye-watering income. He hasn’t got a housekeeper and only has one cleaner? Boo fucking hoo, welcome to the real world, Alexander de Pfeffel.

Did he not do his due diligence? Did he not know what the compensation package was? That's on him? Cut your cloth, mate. That's what you and your ilk are all too keen to tell people to do with far more excuse and reason for their circumstances, with the barest minimum of income to attempt to survive upon.

Come back when you're living on what you say the poorest amongst us should be more than able to live on.

Plenty of jobs have way more responsibility that get less pay.

He has a team of lackys anyway it's not a one man/woman/person band.

Honestly....I think it is more than enough for THIS Prime Minister, as he is terrible at the job, but it isn’t that high a salary for the requirements of the role and the degree of ability and experience a PM ought to have.

BJ is a massively privileged man from a very wealthy background. If he is finding it hard to make ends meet then he should have considered the wisdom of having another child and perhaps reflect on how hard it is for people who don’t have all their living expenses paid for, work far harder than he does and have no chance of extra income from lucrative book deals, public appearances etc (looking beadily at Tony Blair and David Cameron!)

Hate Boris but agree with you it is a low salary for the level of responsibility and living in London. I also didn’t realise they were taxed on no 10 and had to pay for the food from the kitchens themselves.

I think it’s a nice idea in theory to offer £30k and only get “the most passionate” apply but most MPs could earn much more elsewhere so they’re not doing it for the money. Anyway, passion is good but not enough to make a bloody good leader.

That aside, he knew the salary when he went for PM and if he hasn’t put a bit aside for his 6 kids in the last 20 years he’s a blithering idiot. But we knew that anyway.

@Indecisivelurcher

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

Yes you may well do. For experienced CFOs/CEOs etc this would be a huge pay cut. And whilst I’m not for a second suggesting we only want senior execs as our MPs, I think it does take a certain kind of experience to have one do the top jobs in government (Chancellor in particular).

I wonder if Boris will be ‘set for life’ after this.

Will anyone want to employ him ever again at all ... anywhere ...

On the basic tax code it's just under £8,000 take home with just over £1,000 maintenance based on the crap rates set by CMS for the one child we know about - I'm sure I could cope on around £6,500 a month with housing costs & no bills!

They are set up for life as after dinner speakers commanding huge fees from what I understand

@mbosnz

I thought it was £150K on top of the standard MP's salary?

And after all, it's not the fault of the taxpayer that Johnson has spawned more children than he can afford to keep to the manner he, their mothers and those children think they should be accustomed? Perhaps he could get a night job stacking shelves? Or Carrie could strap the infant into a van and do deliveries for DPD?

No it’s not on top of the MP salary. Why would he be paid twice for the same job? He gets two free houses, is driven everywhere he goes, claims expenses. Surely to goodness that’s enough.

I think Neville Chamberlain is definitely going to be bumped up on the list of 'most damagingly ineffectual PM ever' after Johnson.

150k is incredibly low for what he does.

You do realise the £150k is the icing on the cake?
They get a base salary of £150 plus a lovely London flat, a country pile, free luxury transport wherever they go, free food, caterers, security, free holidays, a clothes allowance plus a guaranteed income for life from various directorships, books and talks.

Most are multi millionaires when they take up post.

Plenty of jobs have way more responsibility that get less pay

Interested to hear your views on what they are @Gobbycop

There’s a reason why for a long time politics has mainly attracted people who are already wealthy.

150k is incredibly low for what he does.

What does he do?

@Msgiggles30

£150k seems very low for the job. I'm a teacher and a head of a large secondary could earn nearly £120k so I would have thought 'head' of the country would much higher amount!

The difference I guess is that he’s living rent or mortgage free which will be a few k more

He earns more than £150k. That's just his government salary. He will be receiving income from elsewhere. Let's not get the tissues out just yet.

In reality, it isnt a massive wage.

Head teachers can be paid 100k. I'm not sure it's a job I would like, but it's a short stint and he will earn more after his role is finished.

@CherryPavlova

You do realise the £150k is the icing on the cake? They get a base salary of £150 plus a lovely London flat, a country pile, free luxury transport wherever they go, free food, caterers, security, free holidays, a clothes allowance plus a guaranteed income for life from various directorships, books and talks.

Most are multi millionaires when they take up post.

Exactly. He's doing alright, and the minute he can I'm sure he'll be off to sit on some board or something for a great salary.

They usually do.

I think the poor dear man is generally just resentful that he's being required to adult. To actually work for his tax funded salary, to be a father to this particular infant, to be a husband, to this particular wife. While trying to avoid his previous wives and infants no doubt, and no use to any of them.

Sigh. Life is very hard.

He doesn’t live rent free though. It’s a 3 bedroom flat in Westminster which would cost about 3500 a month to rent. He’s receiving it as a benefit in kind so he will have to pay the pay on it as if it was salary... which means it’s as if he is on 113k before tax (£6000 a month after tax).

The PMs salary over the decades has not risen with inflation/cost of living. Pre-war the PM was on an equivalent salary of half a mil today.

IMHO being an MP (and by extension the pm) should be something that the best and brightest people aspire to do, not just something that only rich people can afford to do. We should pay them more.

They are perfectly fine for cash, I suggest you read Sasha Swire's Diary then place your sympathy elsewhere. For people such as Boris, Rees Mogg, Cameron etc its not about the money.

If he was on piece work he wouldn't have even made minimum wage. Maybe he should actially do something and prove his worth if he wants more.