- Jan 3, 2012
- 17,351
If they want to make an attempt to take the country with them, they won’t.
But they will.
But they will.
You could get an additional 6 months pay after losing your seat - one month for each year you were an MP, with the first £30k tax-free.
Still not a package that is anywhere near good enough to attract the brightest and best talent in many cases. Huge pressure, intense public scrutiny, having to deal with endless beaurocrats and the constantly complaining public, limited job security.........for a salary that’s comparable with, for example, middle-management in a city financial institution (which would have much better benefits, likely a decent annual bonus, much less pressure, more job security, better career/progression prospects etc - and a better redundancy package if you do leave). Being an MP must be a vocational thing - most can’t be in it for the money.
At this current time, with talk of pay freezes then an absolute, resounding NO...!
But as has been said elsewhere, they will anyway!
I agree we should pay the market rate, but ban MPs from holding directorships, journalism, and talking assignments until after they’ve retired from Parliament. There are too many financial vested interests for MPs to vote even along party lines, let alone independently to the country’s benefit.