What would you like to see MPs paid, and how reimbursed for their expenses, pension scheme, resettlement expenses?

[lljkk]

Considering their level of expertise, responsibility, accountability and long hours, what would be reasonable: £20k? £30k? as basic with fixed number of aides' salaries covered, and office and travel expenses, maybe?

You mean sort of like how its done in the banking sector?

I don't think you guys understand how the electoral system works. MPs aren't hired like an employee is at a company.

So long as he or she has enough money to run, and fulfills the criteria, anyone can run as an MP. MPs aren't elected based on how talented, capable and intelligent they are, for the most part. People vote for the MP who is in the party whom they think best represents their interests.

It's hardly a meritocracy. If it were, Ian Duncan Smith and Nigel Farage wouldn't be MPs, nor would Esther McVae or Louise Mensche.

Cogito-

90th percentile means that 10% of working population earn a salary in excess of an MP. That's about 3 million talented, capable, intelligent, 'ordinary' working people with real lives and real world experience ...

Its interesting that you make the leap that the top 10% earners are talented, capable and intelligent.

It's a fallacy that just because you're in the top 10% earners, that means you're talented, capable and intelligent. There are too many counter-examples to mention.

It is an even greater fallacy to think that the top 10% are more 'ordinary' people with 'real lives' and 'real world experience' than the other 90%.

If the top 10% of earners fulfill this criteria, then so do the other 90%, leaving 100% of earners being 'ordinary' working people with real lives and real world experience. Clearly this is wrong.

Seeing as how poor social mobility is in the UK, and the class system is rife, it is far more likely that the top 10% earners have had a cushy life and all the advantages of growing up in an upper middle-class or upper-class household. It is less likely that they will have experienced the hardship of the remaining 90&

the sort we all say we want running the country... but who will be put off because they don't want to take a pay-cut.

We don't want people running the country because they can earn a lot of money, at least I don't, and I think many other people don't either. We want people running the country who care about making the world a fairer, more prosperous, and better place to live.

niceguy-

And that's why talented artists and authors are paid so much, right? Because nobody else has their skills? How many people can write a book like JK Rowling or say Tom Clancy? I know I couldn't. How many people can sing like Adele or Susan Boyle even?

My point was precisely that, throughout history, now famous and talented artists and musicians have never been paid well. Many famous artists and musicians died penniless.

Supply and demand is an gross oversimplification. What matters even more is the ability of a particular talent to be commodified and profitably sold.

That's also why we have so many talentless idiots on TV and in the music industry. They are basically goons who are paid well because they fit in a particular role to sell a larger product, whether it's a boy band, a brainless sitcom, or similar.

"it is far more likely that the top 10% earners have had a cushy life and all the advantages of growing up in an upper middle-class or upper-class household."

Maybe the top 1%... incomes well over £100k... are in that bracket but look around you. Those earning £50k-£100k PAYE are not Little Lord Fauntleroys from the Shires, they're middle managers, doctors, builders, senior teachers, IT guys.

*>>You mean sort of like how its done in the banking sector?

we should look at the way the whole system works
more video conferencing
normal working hours
re locate to central uk (or england if scots are leaving us)
performance related pay
pay based on qualifications and experience

Ttosca - I think many of us do understand how MPs get their jobs. However I see it as the job of the Parties to vet the applicants and get the best candidate (just like you would for a job anywhere else) and that means you have to attract the best candidates in the first place. I don't think we are attracting the best candidates and that is the problem. I think it is perfectly understandable that if you have the ability to work in the city for instance and make a lot of money that politics would not seem like such an attractive alternative. I also think that the person who is representing the country on an international stage and is instrumental in the decision making process on our behalf should be paid substantially more than TV executives or a banker in the City.

agreed, but as backbench mps don't represent the country on an international stage, or make any decisions as it is all party whip these days, they don't need to be paid that much

I would pay pm and cabinet more than mp. also allowances for committees.

can we please stop comparing them to people who work in the city. 99.99 percent of the population think people who work in the city are dicks and don't want them running the country any more than they want them ruining the economy.

personally I think people who save actual human lives should be paid more than tv executives as well but sadly that is not how we run our society. we still seem to find good candidates for life saving stuff despite them being able to earn more at the bbc. seems some people just like doing worthwhile jobs that benefit society even if they are paid crap in comparison

Merci -perhaps not with regards the back benchers but it still has to be an Amount that will attract good candidates in the first place who are then fit and able to be on the cabinet or become prime minister.

I agree re the City - it was just an example but it could just as easily been a barrister/consultant/company executive etc.

I couldn't argue with you about health professionals or indeed scientists and research fellows being paid more than TV executives. Im very grateful these individuals are around!