Tory Leadership

UK Average wage.

But then you'd just get rich hobbie politicians who can't hack it in the real world. The best candidates would go elsewhere

You'd have to remove all financial barriers to doing the job (centrally funded housing/offices/staff/etc) but I don't think removing the personal financial incentive would reduce the skill level...

Couldn't disagree more.

I think you're opening yourself up to corruption. Even if the majority are straight you increase the risk.

I know we're talking about a Home Secretary here, but imo politicians across the board should be paid more. HOWEVER, there should be a lot less of them, their expenses should be limited and at least subject to the same rules as regular employees and no other appointments while an MP or Minister.

I think you are asking good candidates not from wealthy backgrounds to make too big a sacrifice. In a world where headteachers can get paid over 100k, why should a mp get less than 30k?

getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/why-teach/competitive-salary-and-great-benefits

Well, being an MP doesn't require years of training, experience and professional qualifications, for a start. I don't really begrudge them earning a good wage but perhaps if they were incentivised to increase the average wage, everyone could earn a decent wage. It shouldn't be a big sacrifice to earn a theoretical average wage, particularly when it's more than double the supposed 'living' wage.

That's a fair point and I agree regarding expenses and other appointments. I'm not sure paying people more not to be corrupt, when it should be the minimum standard required, is really the right way to go though!

Of course you want people who are honourable, but politicians are people too and susceptible to influence. I just think when the overall salary cost* is small compared to the national expenditure I think it's better to be on the safe side.

*I forgot pensions! If you pay them properly then they will be perfectly capable of paying for their own private pensions.

Yes, but I'd like people who are experienced and have acheaved something to become MPs. Such as the top headteachers. Who would have to take a 70% pay cut. Or union bosses, business leaders, top academics, doctors etc.

A lot of these people will have families and financial commitments. It just won't be feasible for them to take massive pay cuts.

Nice photo, slightly unimaginative slogan

Better?

I'd like people who are experienced and have acheaved something to become MPs.

That would be a good start but I don't think the current dearth of talent is linked to pay.

Perhaps a pay cut would reinforce that MPs are supposed to serve the people and not vice versa? A duty which is the price of democracy (a bit like jury service).

I think the issue for me is not so much the big wages (as I don't begrudge anyone a good wage) but the distance this causes between the median wage earner and politicians.

They won't live where most of us live, they won't see the issues, they don't worry when interest rates go up, if they can pay their uni fees for their kids... that's the issue for me.

Perhaps a mad idea would be "yes you can politics BUT your free homes happen to be in/near working class, median wage/impoverished areas..." ;)

They won't live where most of us live

You could invite the Queen to take tea at your hovel, she does that sometimes.

I am not sure she likes Nambarries :P

I don't have as many issues with that. Though it's nuts somebody gets all that by birth!

But it's cos the Queen has near 0 (should be 0) political power and strangely enough a president costs quite a bit too in nice houses and so on.

The house of lords on the other hand...

hnnnng

https://twitter.com/jimwaterson/status/750979473277943808

Ah, the well known motivational tool of the pay cut.

Yes, this is a negative.

If it works for job seekers...

It looks as though she was HR with a puffed up job title.

Hah! :)

Even quoted in Collapse as one factor in decline of societies: Leaders moving away from those they lead.

Well I'm a foreigner so May dislikes me anyway. Hope she spends on UK made goods, the patriot she is ;)

Andrea Leadsom says 'let's banish pessimists'

is that another way of saying we don't want to listen to experts ?

Our degradation and humiliation will be utterly complete if Leadsom becomes prime minister. She is a patsy for the most unpleasant aspects of the hard right.