Why are British MP's allowed to vote themselves a payrise?

Question

They work for the British people so surely we should have the vote

Answer 1

The House of Commons is not only a law unto itself, it is also the Highest Court in the land and the leading House of the UK Ligislature.

MP's can do pretty much what they like including not turning up at the House of Commons and instead staying on their farms, or whatever it is they do in their spare time, which is about eight months of every year. Call this holiday for want of a better word.

Look at it like this. The house of Commons has a membership which is very largely made up of lawyers. When you understand this fact, it's easy to see why MPs vote in such convoluted and difficult to understand and interpret laws. Most of which seem to be to the advantage of the lawyer and not the citizen.

I'm not sure just how many new laws have been placed on the statute books during the Blairite reign of terror but my guess it must be something like 20,000,001 new laws which have made almost every citizen a criminal or potential criminal.

Voting for a pay rise must be a really difficult day for our MPs. I mean, it's a case of a 30% or 31% pay rise; so it's going to be a long hard slog in the chamber thrashing out a deal to get that extra 1%. Probably an all night session with the bars closed. Poor darlings.

Add to their nearly £99,000 pay packet the £200,000 expenses account and we're talking big wonga.

All pay rises for MPs should be decided by The People's Grand Jury of 24 men and women picked at random from all the electoral rolls of UK.

The People's Grand Jury of 24 may decide in favour of a pay cut if they so wish.

Let's try that.

MP's pay should reflect their competence and work load and not how many hours they spend boozing it up in the House of Commons bars drinking duty free booze at our expense.

And MPs wonder why they are not liked. Ha!

Answer 2

MPs make the rules. They give themselves huge wages with no opposition, and can make even more money out of 'expenses' which apparently nobody ever checks. They frequently have opportunities to go abroard on 'Fact finding' holidays, (If their faces fit) They have the use of the 26 bars in the H of P, and subsidised food to go with the booze. All that they have to do to get these lavish handouts of goodies is do exactly what they are told by their party leaders. In the H of P, when there is a vote, the members go into a room labelled 'yes' or 'no'. The party Gestapo, the 'Whips' are there to see which way they vote. They are told which way by the paper that they are given with the question on; if it is underlined 3 times they must do as they are told, Hence, 3 line whips, that you have heard about. If they disobey orders they will A, get a rocketing, and B will not be picked to be a rubber stamp before the next election. They will also, remember, miss out on their huge pension for life that they get after 2 terms in office. Plus all the tempting goodies and the chance to make a bit more on the side. There ARE honest men and women who do stand up for their constituents, but they are in a minority, and never become a minister or anyone with any clout. As to working for the people, don't make me laugh! Yes, if you go to them with a local issue, like emptying the dustbins more frequently, they may do something to get your vote next time. That does not matter. But for something of real national importance they do as they are told, it pays better.

Answer 3

MPs shoud be able to vote with their concience yet purely when they have consulted with their elements, noticeably on an important challenge which includes abortion or something to do with emryonic study. The Catholic Church is hostile to abortion, birth control and embryonic study and also euthenasia. i'm no longer a Catholic and am wonderful defined as a barbarian pagan. notwithstanding, I absolutely have a lot in elementary with the Catholic Church's teachings on abortion and euthenasia. the position we section organization is on the question of birth control and embryonic study. on the challenge of embryonic study, were I an MP, i imagine i'd vote hostile to such study. I absolutely have a intestine feeling that that is a few form of canibalism - a form thereof. I oppose. each and every challenge of serious value must be debated with elements. For this objective elements ought to both vote on line on the MPs own internet website or flow to a assembly someplace interior sight and hear to the talk and ask questions and so on. i'm fullyyt in favour of increasing the franchise to contain such debates as extra or less defined contained in the previous paragraph.

Answer 4

True, but then the people of this country think so little of politics that they would vote them a pittence. I'm not saying they're all angels, but they're certainly not all corrupt or evil, and who wouldnt be tempted to give themselves a pay rise if they had the ability. No, instead an independent organisation should recommend their pay, like they have with the minimum wage.

Answer 5

Because they are above the policies that the rest of us have to live with. For example public sector pay is limited to a 2% pay rise if public sector workers are lucky ...but this depends on performance and achievement of targets.

The government is not penalised for not reaching targets like the rest of the public sector. Each year it will award itself its own non-performance related payrise to allow MP's to raise their living standards above that to which they become accustomed in the previous year.

Answer 6

I tottally agree with you on this one, the most worrying thing for me is that it isn't just pay rises; they vote themselves massive pensions and perks aswell, their combined expense account bill alone came in at nearly £88m (almost £390,000 per M.P).

These people are supposed to be running the country, if I ran a business like this I would be dead in the water 15 seconds after starting to trade.

I congratulate you, the first step in securing any form of change is to alk about it and gather support - the second is to write to your M.P and spell out your disgust as a taxpayer. The third is to kick them out of their comfy seat and vote for someone unlikely.

Answer 7

it is the same everywhere, mate.

only difference in America is that the raise isn't effective until after the next elections. Which makes no difference since the retention rate of politicians runs about 97%

Answer 8

Too right we the electorate should have a say in it.they tell the nurses,soldiers,airmen/airwomen +naval peoplewhat they can have.Yet they give themselves more than anyone.for what ?They do not even vote how the public want only how they are told by party bosses.

Answer 9

pigs at the trough comes to mind,they promise the moon then get elected and just rake up all the perks going,give themselfs big wage hikes,but when nurses asked for more money they were seen as economic terrorists,holding westminster to ransom

Answer 10

That's democracy for you. People are under some sort of illusion that we are free in this country. People aren't happy here, they are told they are happy until they start to believe it.