Again, I don't want to defend this situation but you need to understand it.
LONG ago (in the early seventies) ministers realised that raising MP's salaries would be a vote LOSER. They agreed to accept money as (careful about the word here!) 'allowances' on top of their salaries would be a great way to 'hide' the increases. You'll note, the word was NOT 'expenses' but ALLOWANCES. They were TOLD to treat it as an ALLOWANCE and not something for which they had to prove they has SPENT the money... or else it WOULD have been 'expenses'.
That has just drifted on over the years.
Clearly... the situation is not RIGHT and never has been! However, it's hypocrisy for 'my' side to claim it's JUST a Labour thing... it AIN'T!
In truth, the salary that they DO get is a PITTANCE compared to almost ANYONE else in a similar job. Christ! Complete T*SS*RS in the CITY were earning TEN times their salary!
We should have been REALISTIC but our childish, tabloid menatlity has lead/allowed our politicians into this BONKERS state!
Let's be HONEST... they should be getting a salary of around �150,000 with an 'expenses' package for which they need to produce receipts LIKE THE REST OF US! That would solve the problems in ONE step!
The job is actually pretty NASTY and it DAMAGES them all, for life. If you have EVER met an MP who has be UN-elected, you'll see in their eyes what it DOES to them! Personally, I don't think I would do it for the current 'official' 60k but I might consider it for 150k.
Anyway, although I want Labour OUT... I don't think it's fair to use THIS as a lever.... as much as anything else, because it will spring BACK and hit the Conservatives, too. It really IS only a matter of time!
Ian
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