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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think MP's have too much time off?

46 replies

Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:31

As always, MP's seem to be away from work for months and a lot longer than any other profession

They return to work next Week. The country is in turmoil/NHS etc etc

It's not just the current PM's fauly it's all of them as it has always been like this

AIBU thinks they have too much time off, look at Mr Hancock's time away - how many other professions would allow you weeks away like that and still claim you are working as he was which is fair enough as those that voted for accpeted that but its odd

OP posts:
Chickenly · 03/01/2023 09:32

I’m torn. Maybe the more time they have off the less damage they’ll do 😀

underneaththeash · 03/01/2023 09:33

I think they're enormously underpaid for the roles they do, maybe the time off compensates for it?

bookworm14 · 03/01/2023 09:33

They aren’t ‘off’ when Parliament isn’t sitting; they’re generally working in their constituencies.

Lockheart · 03/01/2023 09:35

An awful lot of them have other jobs. Being an MP is not a profession in the same way other jobs are.

NHSisbroken · 03/01/2023 09:35

I'd argue they have enough time off. They are constantly "on", it's a 24 hour job really. Yes the actual MPing is office hours but they have public duties out of those core hours to attend to, many work beyond retirement age and every aspect of their personal and professional lives is open to public scrutiny.

PacificallyRequested · 03/01/2023 09:35

Just because parliament isn't sitting doesn't mean they're not working. Maybe educate yourself about what an MP actually does?

GoldenCagedBird · 03/01/2023 09:36

They’re not ‘off’- they go back to their constituencies and have work to do there.

of course it’s ‘not the PMs fault’. Our parliamentary system dictates that you can be chancellor of the exchequer but still have to sit in a leaky church hall with Dave yelling at you about residents parking

Zonder · 03/01/2023 09:37

bookworm14 · 03/01/2023 09:33

They aren’t ‘off’ when Parliament isn’t sitting; they’re generally working in their constituencies.

That may be true for some but it isn't true for mine. It isn't true for so many - look at Johnson and all his jolly holidays for a start.

Original poster
Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:37

underneaththeash · 03/01/2023 09:33

I think they're enormously underpaid for the roles they do, maybe the time off compensates for it?

No one twisted their arm to be an MP
Most have other jobs.
All earn massivley more than the average professional. The perks inc pensions and when they leav HoC is next to none

OP posts:
Original poster
Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:38

Zonder · 03/01/2023 09:37

That may be true for some but it isn't true for mine. It isn't true for so many - look at Johnson and all his jolly holidays for a start.

Show quote history

Re Boris, I too was thinking, wTF, how many weeks off does he get.

OP posts:
C8H10N4O2 · 03/01/2023 09:39

Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:31

As always, MP's seem to be away from work for months and a lot longer than any other profession

They return to work next Week. The country is in turmoil/NHS etc etc

It's not just the current PM's fauly it's all of them as it has always been like this

AIBU thinks they have too much time off, look at Mr Hancock's time away - how many other professions would allow you weeks away like that and still claim you are working as he was which is fair enough as those that voted for accpeted that but its odd

Do you seriously believe that your MP isn't working when they are not sitting in the house? If so you might want to do some homework on what MPs actually do. Sitting in the house is just one part of the job.

Do you also assume teachers start work at 9 and finish at 3.15, job done for the day?

girlmom21 · 03/01/2023 09:39

No one twisted their arm to be an MP

Nobody twisted anyone's arm to be a nurse or a paramedic or a carer but that doesn't stop them being massively underpaid.

NHSisbroken · 03/01/2023 09:40

Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:37

No one twisted their arm to be an MP
Most have other jobs.
All earn massivley more than the average professional. The perks inc pensions and when they leav HoC is next to none

Show quote history

And the offset of this is no semblance of a personal life, very real risk to your physical welfare (2 MPs I can think of murdered in recent years), and everything you do and decision you make open to being torn apart in the press.

Would you do that for the money they get?

drpet49 · 03/01/2023 09:41

underneaththeash · 03/01/2023 09:33

I think they're enormously underpaid for the roles they do, maybe the time off compensates for it?

This has to be a joke

RampantIvy · 03/01/2023 09:43

bookworm14 · 03/01/2023 09:33

They aren’t ‘off’ when Parliament isn’t sitting; they’re generally working in their constituencies.

This^^

The MP in the town nearby does a lot in his constituency. Unfortunately the same can't be said for our MP, who doesn't support her constituents, and is a complete waste of space.

Original poster
Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:55

girlmom21 · 03/01/2023 09:39

No one twisted their arm to be an MP

Nobody twisted anyone's arm to be a nurse or a paramedic or a carer but that doesn't stop them being massively underpaid.

Why are you trying to distract from MP'S?

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 03/01/2023 09:56

I'm not distracting from MP's. I'm telling you your argument is silly @Abigail69

KimberleyClark · 03/01/2023 09:58

Lockheart · 03/01/2023 09:35

An awful lot of them have other jobs. Being an MP is not a profession in the same way other jobs are.

Perhaps we would get better MPs if it was treated as a profession.

Falalalalalalaetc · 03/01/2023 09:58

Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:37

No one twisted their arm to be an MP
Most have other jobs.
All earn massivley more than the average professional. The perks inc pensions and when they leav HoC is next to none

Show quote history

Yes, this. Most MPs come from more privileged backgrounds - it's really hard to make it work and become an MP if you have caring responsibilities.

Some MPs take their job seriously and there are some fantastic MPs (Miriam Cates springs to mind - clearly works hard) but my Tory MP is shit. He's in a safe seat and as far as I can tell accepts the salary whilst doing the bare minimum. He doesn't respond to my emails as a constituent and as far as I can tell does nothing except follow the party line. I've written to him several times and either been completely ignored or the responses haven't even answered my question but have been a cut and paste press release, in some cases entirely unrelated to the question I'd asked.

There seems to be absolutely no consequence to not doing their job and some of them do literally seem to do nothing. Who can I complain to that my MP doesn't respond to emails either at all or with a basic level of competence (actually answering the question)?

And let's face it, with nurses striking (rightly so) more and more families relying on foodbanks, A&E waiting times, if they had performance related pay they'd be looking at a pay cut, demotion or the sack.

Original poster
Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 09:58

NHSisbroken · 03/01/2023 09:40

And the offset of this is no semblance of a personal life, very real risk to your physical welfare (2 MPs I can think of murdered in recent years), and everything you do and decision you make open to being torn apart in the press.

Would you do that for the money they get?

Show quote history

That was sad, but the same can be said for other professions and even more so, ordinary people that are murdered just because they look different than the murderer

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 03/01/2023 10:00

I believe mp's have 2 jobs in a way their government/parliament one and their constituent one

Not 2 weeks in Westminster the rest in Ibiza

Falalalalalalaetc · 03/01/2023 10:00

I'm betting there's a lot of nurses who'd trade making life or death decisions at the end of a 12 hour shift with not enough staff with being an MP.

They'd make amazing MPs too. Maybe we should have a 'nurses into politics' scheme.

Original poster
Abigail69 · 03/01/2023 10:00

girlmom21 · 03/01/2023 09:56

I'm not distracting from MP's. I'm telling you your argument is silly @Abigail69

You are as this thread is about MP's

As for my argument being "silly" that says it all.

I would never be an MP but if I was, I'd make sure I went the extra mile as I used to when I worked for a coucil as we are dealing with real people.

I cared about my clients and could not see myself going away for weeks every few weeks

OP posts:
roarfeckingroarr · 03/01/2023 10:02

underneaththeash · 03/01/2023 09:33

I think they're enormously underpaid for the roles they do, maybe the time off compensates for it?

I agree.

Just because Parliament isn't sitting, it doesn't mean they're off. Decent MPs will still be doing casework, lobbying on behalf of their constituents etc.

WatchoRulo · 03/01/2023 10:03

NHSisbroken · 03/01/2023 09:40

And the offset of this is no semblance of a personal life, very real risk to your physical welfare (2 MPs I can think of murdered in recent years), and everything you do and decision you make open to being torn apart in the press.

Would you do that for the money they get?

Show quote history

Yes I would - for the salary, tax free expenses, subsidised food, free accomodation and travel and the golden goodbye and pension - it's a proper gravy train when you add it all up - and you only need to be "on" 24/7 if you care - many MPs are fucking invisible - especially in safe seats.