What MPs get paid
David Cameron, who is apparently the new leader of the Tories, says that Members of Parliament should not set their own salaries. Superficially, it sounds like a good idea, but I wonder if it’s anything more than a soundbite.
As I understand it, changes to MPs’ salaries are based on recommendations from the Senior Salaries Review Body, put formally passed by the Commons. Some MPs vote against their own pay raises, of course, knowing that their constituents will approve of such a stance.
Now, does anyone know the last time MPs passed a motion that differed from the SSRB recommendation? Does it happen? And when it does, do they tend to raise pay and allowances by more or less than the SSRB suggested? My suspicion is that the SSRB recommendation is always adopted, but that on occasions when it isn’t a lower level is chosen instead. If the former is the case, then Cameron’s proposal would make no difference; if the latter, it would actually result in MPs’ pay rising faster.
[...] Should MPs set their own salaries? Contrary to what you might think, Will Howells reckons that MPs could see their salaries rise faster if somebody else (i.e. the Senior Salaries Review Body) decided for them. [...]
Pingback by SBR1: The New Union, the secretive Executive and rats with wings « Scottish Blogging Roundup — October 1, 2006 @ 10:00 am
[...] also my prediction that this would happen back in 2006 and Anders Hanson’s thoughts from a couple of weeks [...]
Pingback by Something for the Weekend: My lovely horse | Liberal Democrat Voice — January 25, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
He sees the future! BURN THE WITCH!!!
Comment by James Graham — January 26, 2008 @ 3:42 pm