I read the news today oh boy! Page 1,376

The expenses thing revealed a number of things, not least of all that Kafka would have despaired at parliamentary expenses.

They claimed for cat food, when they couldn't claim travel expenses or clothing.

Both of which would be considered reasonable in any other job.

As for CAB they shouldn't be closed, but you might as well ask traffic wardens for advice.

The current system benefits no one. I'd say start with paying MPs at at least a close to equivalent job rate, headmaster, university vice chancellor. Well if its a 100k then it's still half that.

Then start looking at a sensible list of expenses. Including not buying Westminster properties, but renting them or buying them and returning them to the state on leaving office.

As it is the current system encourages corruption, discourages MPs of more modest means and is an alround mess.

I would say that headmasters and university vice chancellors on £200k are also grossly overpaid.

And I don't think clothing is an expense they should not have to pay themselves - I don't know any office jobs that pay for people's officewear.

If Milliband had any sense he would come out and say if Labour win the next election he would ensure this is reversed and an increase of 1 or 2% is implemented instead

Put your money where your mouth is

But of course he won't

I don't think he's allowed to - it seems to be an independent thing and the PM can't intervene

Quote: Harridan @ 8th December 2013, 12:20 PM GMT

I would say that headmasters and university vice chancellors on £200k are also grossly overpaid.

And I don't think clothing is an expense they should not have to pay themselves - I don't know any office jobs that pay for people's officewear.

View original

Heres the problem some people are better at thing than others, and the really good ones are in a minority.

Every company that tried to fix a salary ratio, e.g. no one earning more than 20 times anyone else ditched it.

The vice chancellor of a Uni who can keep funding flooding in, students educated and research happening. Is a far smarter person than me and fully deserves to earn 30 times as much.

Good luck to them.

Quote: lofthouse @ 8th December 2013, 1:04 PM GMT

If Milliband had any sense he would come out and say if Labour win the next election he would ensure this is reversed and an increase of 1 or 2% is implemented instead

Put your money where your mouth is

But of course he won't

View original

It's an independent comission, no sane politician would have it any other way.

Perhaps ditch MPs salaries all together. And make them open about working for a salary from corporatations or lobbyists.

Quote: Harridan @ 8th December 2013, 1:07 PM GMT

I don't think he's allowed to - it seems to be an independent thing and the PM can't intervene

View original

The government of the day set up this independent thing in the first place I presume

The government can scrap it again surely?

Quote: sootyj @ 8th December 2013, 1:10 PM GMT

Perhaps ditch MPs salaries all together. And make them open about working for a salary from corporatations or lobbyists.

View original

Would it not make more sense that MPs are paid only by voluntary (but encouraged) donations from the members of their own constituencies.

i.e. paid by the people they represent.

Useless MPs would then have to resign as they wouldn't have any money to live on.

Quote: billwill @ 8th December 2013, 3:47 PM GMT

Would it not make more sense that MPs are paid only by voluntary (but encouraged) donations from the members of their own constituencies.

i.e. paid by the people they represent.

Useless MPs would then have to resign as they wouldn't have any money to live on.

View original

I imagine that would encourage MPs to make more short-term decisions than they do at the moment

Don't understand.

Those arseholes that killed Fusilier Rigby plead not guilty, go to trial and then say they did it.

Is this just to have their moment in the spotlight?

Yes sadly, too have their moment.

But it will pass.

And then they have the rest of their lives predominantly in solitary I suspect to think about it.

They are clinically insane.
I would imagine? They'll say any old shit.

(If they are insane, it's hopefully not in a 'getting out of serving decades in jail' way.)

I'd rather that they weren't in solitary!

I'm at a loss why theyre being allowed to be !Muslims in jail

If booze or drugs made you commit crimes, you don't get them

I say feed them bacon and put booze in their tea

And stop doing that when they say sorry

Boyfriend jumped to his death after his girlfriend insisted on going into another clothes shop http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520753/Chinese-boyfriend-jumped-death-girlfriend-insisted-going-clothes-shop.html

Quote: Nogget @ 10th December 2013, 9:39 AM GMT

Boyfriend jumped to his death after his girlfriend insisted on going into another clothes shop http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520753/Chinese-boyfriend-jumped-death-girlfriend-insisted-going-clothes-shop.html

View original

He made his point!