How Much Is an M.p, Worth

Dr. David Kerr, M.P. is complaining about his pay as a Member of Parliament. £5,250 a year, it seems, is not enough once you deduct expenses for secretarial help, postage, meals, living accommodation in London and so on. He will, no doubt, have the sympathy of old age pensioners and the millions of working men and women who take home under £10 a week, Quite a number of his parliamentary colleagues, of course, keep themselves above the breadline by outside activities such as journalism, directorships and other perks for which they seem to have plenty of time when not engaged in parliamentary duties. Dr. Kerr, also objects that it is "never the right time to propose a rise for M.P.'s." Just before freezing workers' wages was certainly a most inappropriate time for their last pay rise. But really there is a simple solution, All M.P.'s should receive the average basic pay prevailing in industry (with appropriate rates for overtime ministerial duties, etc.). This, in common with all wages and salaries, should be pegged to the cost of living. As the cost of living goes up so will M.P.'s salaries. Legitimate expenses should be paid by the State, In this way M.P.'s - Labour M.P.'s at any rate - will be living the same sort of life as their working-class supporters, It will establish a bond of solidarity between them which would ensure electoral success every time, True, careerists and opportunists will no longer find a parliamentary career quite so attractive as at present. But the Labour Party will be all the better for their absence and the workers will be served by men and women who share their way of life and their desires,