MP's Demand Pay Hike.
Wat Tyler Mon Dec 24, 2007 at 02:07:53 PM GMT 
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A rumoured 10% pay claim from MP's may be better News for Gordon Brown that he realises.
The Mail on Sunday reported yesterday that a number of MP’s, including several Labour members, are seeking a 10% pay rise when parliament returns after the Christmas break.
According to the Mail, not a newspaper noted for its socialist sympathies, the prime motivation for the move is a widespread fear amongst Labour MP’s that they may lose their seats at the next election any enhancement to their pay decided on now would dramatically improve their pensions were they to leave the commons.
Gordon Brown, the piece somewhat grudgingly admitted, is opposed to members of parliament receiving a pay rise so far out of line with anything on offer to workers in industry or the public sector. It went on to say that he has ordered to issue not be put to parliament in his absence so that he can lead opposition to the proposed pay hike.
Not surprisingly the Mail sought to highlight the, alleged, greed and lack of confidence in their future expressed by the Labour members concerned and let loose into the political paddock one of its favourite hobby horses, the disparity between what MP’s earn and the amount of work they do.
The piece did though miss one important fact; this latest setback might well be more of a Christmas present to the embattled Prime Minister than it at first appears.
Gordon Brown is quite right to be critical of politicians seeking to enhance their own pay packets while the tax payers they serve are having to tighten their belts and if, as the article suggested, a small number of Labour MP’s who intend to rebel against the government on this issue he should impose strict sanctions against them.
The popularity he enjoyed until only a few weeks ago was founded on the belief that he was a man of substance with a political vision built on sound principles rather than shallow opportunism; he should show that substance now by taking a hard line with the carpet baggers on either side of the house.
They say that the Chinese word for crisis is the same as that for opportunity, Gordon Brown must see this latest crisis as an opportunity to begin rebuilding the credibility he lost following the ‘election scare’ of the autumn just gone.
MP's Demand Pay Hike. | 7 comments (7 topical)
MP's Demand Pay Hike. | 7 comments (7 topical)
