We think MPs are paid too much. If you’re elected as a trade union rep in an office or a factory, you don’t get three times the wages of your workmates or four times their holidays. You live on the same terms and conditions, face the same bills, and try and deal with the same financial pressures and problems as the people around you.
MPs should be the same. When I was an MP in the 1980s, my family and I took only the average wage of a skilled worker in a unionised factory in Coventry. We weren’t isolated or insulated from the problems of the people in our city. When I complained about the cost of living, it was because it hit my family exactly the same way it hit the people I represented. And every Socialist Party member standing as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in this general election makes the same pledge. If elected, we would be socialist MPs living on a worker’s wage. I think that’s worth supporting. I hope you do too.
A politician should not be a professional career! Its telling when we hear Richie Sunak went without sky TV’ as a misguided means to be relatable to the working class. MP’s should struggle with us, in doing so they would know the meaningful changes we need. Soon we will see Labour take the wheel with more career politicians. We want better.
The Socialist Party Formally Militant pays all party staff a skilled workers wage, our news papers to be competitive and without predatory advertisements are sold at a loss whilst also printed weekly in house and articles are often submitted in by members, all propped up by memberships and donations.
I don’t ask that you join my party but I do ask that if you are a socialist you seek to join one of the many leftist parties here in the UK, I ask that you mobilise. The working class are crying out for an alternative, we want change.
agreed in principal.
Issue is we live in a capitalist world. So what you are asking for. Is someone willing to work full time once elected. While working for an unknown number of years trying to get elected. Then once elected. Hold a job that risks being taken away with any political upheaval. Or every 4 years even if things go well.
Honestly if you are willing to do that job. Good for you id be a huge supporter. But finding 650 of you without some other motive for the willingness to put in all that extra work. Becomes more of a risk.
This is why MPs have traditionally been paid well. Although. I will admit not entirely successful as a policy.
There has been debate on this. The issue is if MPs are only paid average wages. Then the work and negativity the job creates. (because lets face it. No matter your policy, a large % of voters will disagree. And be vocal about that opinion.) Tends to mean only independently wealthy people are encouraged to apply. And their motive would only be corruption.
While higher pay dose little to prevent corruption. Low/average pay dose much to discourage non corruptly motivated applicants.
this is a very strong point, perhaps once field tested we would have a better understanding but for local MP’s i do see a skilled workers wage to enough because working as a politician should be a selfless act. also a skill workers wage is ambiguous enough for some wiggle room. i personally know a few paid members and they are happy to fight the cause locally even with high workloads and families to support.
