tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215276304574376619.post502976410598739539..comments2021-02-04T13:16:52.826+00:00Comments on The World According To Dan: That Gordon Brown plan for MPs' expensesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215276304574376619.post-38647454916554377602009-04-24T08:04:00.000+01:002009-04-24T08:04:00.000+01:00I'm not sure if you, Anonymous, are being serious ...I'm not sure if you, Anonymous, are being serious or subtly comedic, but I'll take you at face value.<br /><br />The idea that MPs shouldn't get expenses is nonsense. Without expenses the only people who are going to step up to be MPs are the very wealthy, because most MPs couldn't cover their own expenses. They need staff to help cover their constituency caseload and more generally to help them be more effective as MPs. Pity the constituents of a cabinet minister under an Anonymous government!<br /><br />There's a debate to be had about salary levels. I think they should be generous because salary shouldn't be a bar to anyone wanting to be an MP. Set a low salary and you're either going to get MPs who are, again, very wealthy or, on the other hand, even more mediocre than many of them are now. We need more people from the professional classes in parliament and punitive salaries aren't going to encourage them.<br /><br />You suggest a 20k cap on earnings above parliamentary salary. Presumably this is because you believe MPs shouldn't really have second jobs. The problem I have with that is that the effectiveness of an MP should be judged by their constituents. If they think their MP is doing a good job, then what does it matter how much money they earn from other sources?<br /><br />As for accomodation, I'm pretty sure your suggestion is a joke, because it's certainly not practical or legal and would do nothing to encourage people to want to be an MP. You appear to want to punish people for being MPs when in reality we need to be encouraging them.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17061130472980076141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215276304574376619.post-65440926401661528892009-04-22T10:11:00.000+01:002009-04-22T10:11:00.000+01:00Balls to that; fix politics once and for all by cu...Balls to that; fix politics once and for all by cutting their earnings down to something that makes sure they're there to serve the country, not themselves.<br /><br />Cancel all perks and privileges, including expenses. Every MP gets a salary based purely on years service, starting at 30kpa, going up by 1kpa to a cap of 60kpa after 30 years. Implement an income cap of 20kpa above their salary, and persist the cap once they leave the commons; any surplus is taxed at 100%. Numbers are for illustration only - just make sure they earn significantly less than they would in the private sector.<br /><br />As for accommodation, requisition one of the many disused underground stations, block up a few hundred meters of tunnel, add some air conditioning and heating, build two or three toilet/shower rooms, a cafeteria, a recreation room and a few shared office areas - then fill the remaining space with a few partition walls and enough bunk beds to accomodate all MPs. Give every MP access as and when they want it, and give them all bus, tube and train passes so they can get back to their constituency.<br /><br />That would weed out all the career politicians, avoid the expenses issue altogether, and sort out public transport at the same time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215276304574376619.post-57528769488534348412009-04-22T09:00:00.000+01:002009-04-22T09:00:00.000+01:00I used to support the idea of housing MPs as you s...I used to support the idea of housing MPs as you suggest, however it would take a very long time to pay for itself so I'm now not so keen on the idea.<br /><br />The closest comparison we have is Portcullis House, across the road from the Place of Westminster, which opened in 2000 at a cost £235 million to build and provides offices for just over 200 MPs.<br /><br />An accomodation block would be larger, having to accomodate about 500 MPs, and the suites would be bigger. You could save on excesses like the bronze cladding at Portcullis House, but that would be offset by the high cost of the substantial land requirement, furnishings and ongoing security. It's also likely that the place would have to be renovated every 10-15 years.<br /><br />I would estimate you're looking at at least £600 million for initial construction, balanced against about £12-15 million a year in second home allowance at present.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17061130472980076141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215276304574376619.post-242060510052613172009-04-22T08:38:00.000+01:002009-04-22T08:38:00.000+01:00Agreed. I think we (the country) should buy up a d...Agreed. I think we (the country) should buy up a decent size office block/flats/hotel near Westminster and provide working homes for them.<br /><br />A decent size 'suite' each, provided and furnished to a decent level. It'd be easy to keep secure, and in the long run should work out much cheaper. At the very least it'd put them all on an even footing and stop some of the scumbaggery. <br /><br />I was amazed at how little thought (or perhaps the staggering arrogance) that's gone into this proposal, even compared to the usual efforts...bcchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10988356725609670853noreply@blogger.com