tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post8431229302674958961..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Expenses: What is to be Done?Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-6023881546015156782010-02-08T10:29:22.041+00:002010-02-08T10:29:22.041+00:00You beat me by all of four minutes!You beat me by all of four minutes!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-20339024552062007482010-02-08T09:48:42.295+00:002010-02-08T09:48:42.295+00:00Paul has a very thought-provoking take on all this...Paul has a very thought-provoking take on all this <a href="http://thoughcowardsflinch.com/2010/02/08/mp-expenses-and-mp-selection-the-missing-link/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-23997498786873470702010-02-08T09:44:09.393+00:002010-02-08T09:44:09.393+00:00Have set out my thoughts in response at http://tho...Have set out my thoughts in response at http://thoughcowardsflinch.com/2010/02/08/mp-expenses-and-mp-selection-the-missing-link/<br /><br />So there.Paulhttp://www.bickerstafferecord.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-43027396440452367182010-02-08T00:03:39.651+00:002010-02-08T00:03:39.651+00:00The issue of relatively highly paid workers having...The issue of relatively highly paid workers having to take a pay cut is one that can be relatively easily accomodated if the "workers wage" principle is applied with a degree of flexibility.<br /><br />The issue is that workers representatives shouldn't be paid vast salaries that give them incomes and lifestyles which are entirely divorced from those of the people they are representing. The average wage is a sensible place to peg a "workers wage", but on the one occasion when a member of parliament who used to have a higher wage was elected, Terry Fields kept his firefighters wage.<br /><br />As for where the money goes, Joe Higgins donates the vast bulk of his wages to a large assortment of labour movement or community campaigns, causes, etc. Even if the Socialist Party wanted him to donate his salary to the party he couldn't, because there is a legal limit on the amount someone can donate to a political party in Ireland, somewhere around €6000. That's a very small part of an MEP's salary!Mark Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-344374652837328712010-02-07T23:37:35.913+00:002010-02-07T23:37:35.913+00:00There are many good things about George Galloway, ...There are many good things about George Galloway, but proposing a rise in MPs' salaries is not one of them. It's an issue of politics and democracy. If MPs are to genuinely represent those who elect them - and have a connection with them - they shouldn't earn significantly more than the vast majority of those electors.luna17https://www.blogger.com/profile/03754650933188634442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-35423247838380452132010-02-07T19:27:53.370+00:002010-02-07T19:27:53.370+00:00Terry Fields and Dave Nellist donated the surplus ...Terry Fields and Dave Nellist donated the surplus between their parliamentary salaries and the workers wage they took home to diverse Labour movement causes. They published accounts that they shared with their local Labour Party and the press to show exactly where every penny went, long before the Freedom of Information Act.<br /><br />Their payments to the Militant came out of the take home pay they had left, so they were just the same as other comrades.<br /><br />It's reasonable to suggest if someone is a skilled worker, that they take the same wage that they took in their job, so that they are not taking a pay cut. It's also reasonable for MPs to claim expenses that related directly to their job.<br /><br />The example of openness, accountability and self-sacrifice set by Dave and Terry stands like a beacon above the augean stables that is today's parliamentary labour party.Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12699101060433755910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-56821877832905379062010-02-07T18:51:48.080+00:002010-02-07T18:51:48.080+00:00I don't think there's any formal arrangeme...I don't think there's any formal arrangement in the SP either. As far as I know Joe Higgins just takes the average wage, but I'm not sure if the surplus goes direct to the party or some other fund (can an Irish comrade enlighten us?) But when Terry Fields was an MP he just took the equivalent of his firefighter's salary. Perhaps it would be the same for any SP member who gets elected and who already earns more than the average.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-55479674707737101182010-02-07T17:42:58.162+00:002010-02-07T17:42:58.162+00:00They're all expected to give a large slice of ...They're all expected to give a large slice of the pie to the party if that's their job (so most town councilors for example are getting much less than an average wage from that and so would just donate like everyone else).<br /><br />What the Greens don't do is use the phrase "workers' wage" and there is no set formula. Also it's not a requirement, they just all do (all four of them!).<br /><br />How that is worked out and where it goes seems to be different. For instance the London AM's Jenny and Darren both give over thousands to the party a year (can't name the figure I'm afraid but I did see it once and thought 'blimey, that's a lot) one of them gives it to the London party and the other to the national.<br /><br />NB Scotland is a different party so I don't know what the MSPs do, although it may well be the same arrangement.Jim Jeppshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-73801586342639772362010-02-07T17:31:36.602+00:002010-02-07T17:31:36.602+00:00I think as long as representatives like Jean and D...I think as long as representatives like Jean and Dave are honest about where the surplus money goes, most people will be happy with that. So if someone does take the average wage, I'd much rather that dosh go to either the organisation or some campaigning fund. Though I'm some what more open minded about the workers' wage than I used to be, the point of it is it's supposed to make for more effective representatives rather than saving taxpayers a bob or two.<br /><br />Do you know any other green representative who takes the average wage?Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-43535153620973971852010-02-07T15:37:07.846+00:002010-02-07T15:37:07.846+00:00I think after twenty years of annual parliaments w...I think after twenty years of annual parliaments we'd probably see them as very different kinds of events than we do now.<br /><br />On the subject of the workers' wage;<br /><br />As I understand it Dave used to donate the rest of the money to his organisation - Militant - so he cost the tax payer the same amount as the other MPs. Recently Jean Lambert took some stick for doing this as, like the other Green MEPs, AMs, etc. as she was accused of funding the Green Party at taxpayers' expense.<br /><br />Now, I'm in favour of this arrangement where elected people pay a large portion of their pay to their organisation but of course that would all end if we cut the pay of MPs.<br /><br />Do you think it would be better for MPs to refuse to take the money, forcing a cut in their pay or do like Jean and Dave did, take the money and then pass it on to fund the cause?Jim Jeppshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.com