This so called independent committee was set up by the "establishment" and filled with "establishment" bodies and the person in charge is a "Sir"(on £700.00 a day).
It is likened to the way bankers of one group would "advise" on the pay scale of another groups salary i.e. with a nod and a wink. How many ordinary working people were on this committee.
All the professional people they try to evaluate the MPs pay with, spend many years gaining the correct qualifications. With MPs, the only qualification is that your face fits and you are a party lackey. Our one definitely fits that bill.

Alan, so would you prefer the First Minister telling MSPs, even ones who are not a member of his party that they're not getting a pay rise - cos he says so irrespective of whether he has got the power to say so. Interesting!

@Gordon Alan never mentioned MSP's so why are you adding them to the equation. They have nothing to do with this and they only get £53,000 a year any way.

Gordon McCaskill wrote:


Gordon - Good to have you back but please stop and think about each of the above and then think of Lee Rigby. He was on 25,000 a year.

1. Tick
2. 6 months away and live in a tent.
3. Tick
4. Tick
5. Tick and Death.
6. Tick

Cllr McCaskill

The House of Commons sits for around 150 days a year, according to parliament's website. This excludes half-terms, a six-week break in the summer, two fortnight breaks at Easter and Christmas and three weeks off while MPs attend party conferences.

According to figures from the Commons library, MPs sat for 296 days between May 2010 and May 2012 . But over a 24-month period in 2006 to 2008, the Commons sat for 304 days. By comparison this year, the Commons is expected to sit for fewer than 140 days. The government could suspend parliament as early as Thursday, and not later than 29 April, before returning on 8 May for the Queen's speech.

Last year, the House of Commons sat on average for about 7 hours and 57 minutes a day.

Four days a week - No
Hotel or rented - NO bought and paid for by us and their pals share with them.
How many times has parliament been recalled during summer recess?
Work late at night - yeah in the subsidised bars of Westminster.
How many MPs have been stabbed?

I hate to think I am defending Gordon as he's big enough and etc. but if it was such a brilliant job, why doesn't everyone want it.

The one thing that bothers me is these are the guys who are supposedly running out country, running the treasury, NHS, the list is endless and the one poster who made a valid point, OK it may have been in fun, is Grizzly.
Why do footballers get £200,000 A WEEK to kick a ball and our legislators get £66K A YEAR, admittedly plus expenses.

And Phil, MSP's salary is linked to MP's therefore they will get a corresponding pay increase in line with MP's. I could stand corrested but I thing MSP's get 80% of an MP's salary.

But Alan does have a valid point about the London establishment but does he honestly believe there is not a fully fledged and working establishment in Edinburgh