[Politics] MPs give themselves an extra £10k

[sully]

Working means that you’re not furloughed.

Instead your employer, for genuine reasons or not, has given you a 20% pay cut.

I’m well aware of that. It’s a “temporary” pay cut, not a permanent one. I was responding to a statement that people working from home are on full pay.

So what was your point?

 

[jordanseagull]

I worked for an MP for two years, until recently.

I can count on one hand the amount of people I knew who had a laptop. Everything was done on desktop, and nobody ever - ever - worked from home.

This allowance is for MP's *and their staff*. More senior MP's (particularly those with ministerial positions, so they need to staff the constituency side of things more) have more staff - often a Parly Assistant, Senior Parly Assistant, Researcher, Office Manager...and then constituency staff too (usually two more). The majority of these will need laptops purchasing for them, the necessary security installed, extra stationary costs etc.

This title is quite literally fake news, and should be edited by mods IMO. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority increased the credit limit on MP's accounts (the public body set up following the 2009 scandal) - MP's did not 'give themselves anything'.

What a non-story.

 

[dazzer6666]

90% of the NHS, HMRC, DWP and most government departments. Around 70% of of the CAA. 95% of NATS. Almost all non-mangerial staff in banks, building societies and insurance firms. To name but a few. Most of the employees of these organisation don't carry man bags either.

Vast majority in our bank have laptops (last week we had a peak of 187,000 people logged on at home, the vast majority on laptops not Citrix), but I take your point as I haven’t experienced that in other banking organisations.......for us, as well as homeworking, using laptops has made hotdesking much simpler. Just equip every desk with the same kit - cabling, docking station, monitor, keyboard and mouse and anyone can use it.

 

[Weststander]

Vast majority in our bank have laptops (last week we had a peak of 187,000 people logged on at home, the vast majority on laptops not Citrix), but I take your point as I haven’t experienced that in other banking organisations.......for us, as well as homeworking, using laptops has made hotdesking much simpler. Just equip every desk with the same kit - cabling, docking station, monitor, keyboard and mouse and anyone can use it.

Isn’t using a mouse considered embarrassing? The people I’ve worked with in their 20’s and 30’s, at docking stations, still use the laptop mousepad. Falling over themselves laughing if they spot any wallies or old timers resorting to a mouse.

 

[dazzer6666]

Isn’t using a mouse considered embarrassing? The people I’ve worked with in their 20’s and 30’s, at docking stations, still use the laptop mousepad. Falling over themselves laughing if they spot any wallies or old timers resorting to a mouse.

No idea - they are there if people want them............

 

[Eeyore]

How out of touch are these idiots.

Everyone else who is working from home isn't getting an extra £10k, and many others are on 80% wages or even less in this crisis.

Let's hope that the 1st 2nd 3rd question at this afternoons update, is why are MPs getting more rather than standing with everyone else.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/09/mps-given-extra-10000-work-home-coronavirus-pandemi-12531786/

The MPs did not give themselves anything.

No fan of Tim Loughton, but here is his response:

'£10,000 available to MPs over the next financial year to cover any possible increase in costs because of the Corona epidemic. That money can be primarily used for additional computer and other tech equipment/secure Wi-Fi etc to enable staff to work from home as we cannot work from Parliament. In some cases, MPs may also need to employ additional staff as I have heard cases of some colleagues now being deluged with over 1000 emails a day. Those costs will in most cases be covered by direct charge to the credit cards issued to MPs for office running costs and travel.

• Not a penny of it will go to the MP himself or herself

• MPs were not consulted about this increase in the allowance and have found it almost impossible to discuss it with IPSA as they were the first to close their office, send all the staff home and now do not answer their phones.

• IPSA is entirely independent of MPs and have determined everything about Parliamentary costs, salary, pensions etc since 2010. We have no power to overrule them'

 

[BadFish]

I expect teachers and other government workers will be able to access a similar scheme to work from home. It is a shame this isn't happening here is Australia as I have already shelled out about $400 to set myself up to work from home. I suppose I could send the receipts to someone to claim the expenses. I am sure they would get a good laugh out of it.

Lucky UK teachers I say.

 

[Audax]

The ONS says that something like 7% of households had no internet connection - nearly 4 million households, about 8 million people - that's not a small number

And there will be even more who do have an internet connection, but don't make full use of it (such as my mother-in-law I mentioned previously - she has internet, but won't use email etc. Even online shopping, she uses the internet to find what she wants then gets my wife to buy it and pays us back with cash/cheque).

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Isn’t using a mouse considered embarrassing? The people I’ve worked with in their 20’s and 30’s, at docking stations, still use the laptop mousepad. Falling over themselves laughing if they spot any wallies or old timers resorting to a mouse.

A mouse is far more accurate than a trackpad. It isn't embarrassing at all. Clearly your young colleagues are not gamers, as PC gamers usually swear by a mouse and keyboard.