Peter bottomless has his finger on the pulse.
- Thread starter Salty seadog
- Start date
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deptfordmarmoset
Über Member
And that's levelling up for the Tories.
We could never have afforded for my wife* to give up her middle grade accounting job (centrica, then L&G) to become an MP.
When made redundant by Centrica 15 years ago her package had been over £100k for several years). She moved in short order to a new company on a similar package.
*family breadwinner
When made redundant by Centrica 15 years ago her package had been over £100k for several years). She moved in short order to a new company on a similar package.
*family breadwinner
newfhouse
pleb
That may be a loss to politics, but I don’t think it says much about whether an MP’s salary is appropriate.
It feels about the right level to me, bearing in mind that expenses take care of the costs of London accommodation and travel for those that need an additional home. Half the ruling party will have top ups too since the explosion in the number of junior ministerial posts, a system used to buy loyalty.
Those that feel excluded from standing for office through having to take a pay cut are probably only a tiny percentage of the available candidates. Don’t we need more shop workers and engineers in parliament and fewer lawyers and straight-to-politics graduates?
D
Deleted member 49
Guest
What a shame...Maybe Pete needs to cut back on travel and work from home a little,couple of takeaway coffees can mount up over a year.If he's really struggling there's no shame in food banks.🙄
Dead cat story....saying that there's a dead cat every couple of steps with this shower.
Dead cat story....saying that there's a dead cat every couple of steps with this shower.
Maybe no straight to politics graduates. One of the younger leading lights in the SPD here was recently told by a former senior cabinet member that if he really wants to represent the working class he ought to go and work in a firm for a few years.
Craig the cyclist
Über Member
Nope.
newfhouse
pleb
What makes you say that? Do you think the current demographic serves us better than a more representative mix?
Craig the cyclist
Über Member
Yes, of course.
Why would having a 'shop worker', just because they are a shop worker, be better than anyone else?
Bromptonaut
Rohan Man
- Location
- Bugbrooke, Northants
There was no suggestion shop workers in and of themselves have no special value. The actual words used suggested more shop workers and engineers and fewer people via the PPE>SPAD>safe seat route. More 'ordinary' people. You could equally well say carers, warehouse operatives etc.
One can identify at least two factors which have diluted the number of people from either blue collar - like Denis Skinner - or professional backgrounds.
One is the decline of the Trades Union movement and its influence in the Labour party.
The other is the move, entirely justified though it was, to the Commons working something closer to normal hours. Prior to that members could continue to practice in professions like the law or medicine. Lawyers on the Labour side included Sidney Silverman and Leo Abse. The Tories had, amongst others, Ken Clarke, Geoffrey Rippon and Patrick Ground. Rippon and Ground both practiced in Land, Planning etc and both appeared before the Lands Tribunal while I was working there in the eighties.
swansonj
Regular
Howard Stoate was a Labour MP who continued working one day a week in his GP practice. I crossed swords on a specific issue with him in my former employment but formed the impression he was dedicated, compassionate, thoughtful, and his ability to understand the world and his constituents was enhanced by his GP work. Labour then banned MPs from continuing other employment and he stood down as an MP. I considered that a very poor outcome.
Craig the cyclist
Über Member
NOT A PERSONAL DIG, but the level of £82k
Remember that after 5 years (or sooner) there may be an election and you could be back to the old job, but unable to practice and possibly 5 years out of date.
is fine. But if you were currently earning £125,000 or more, would it feel about the right level if you would not be able to carry on with your other job, and so potentially fall behind things like professional validation requirements, professional updates, currency in your job?
Remember that after 5 years (or sooner) there may be an election and you could be back to the old job, but unable to practice and possibly 5 years out of date.
BoldonLad
Old man on a bike. Not a member of a clique.
- Location
- South Tyneside
If you are an MP for one of the two major parties (and most are), then, by that time, you will be well placed on the gravy train, surely?
IMHO, there would be no chance of being elected in the first place, unless you were at least partly ensconced in the party machine (that goes for all of the Parties).
