Puja wrote: ↑Sat Aug 23, 2025 4:16 pm
Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 23, 2025 10:13 am
* and, perversely, why don't we give them bigger salaries? They might be more independent and start acting on their consciences (that would be revealing 
).
I always regard that line of argument as being on a par with, "If we cut corporation tax, then they will create more jobs." Most rich people don't have 'enough' - with a few rare exceptions, they generally feel that they both need to have more and deserve to have more, no matter how much they actually have. I don't believe there is any amount of money that would put them above influence buying.
Puja
My thinking is:
1) it is a very important job, so I have no fundamental problem with it being very well paid (a better alternative would be to bring everyone else's salaries down towards MP level
)
2) this only affects 650 people. That limits the cost. Corporation tax is big enough to have a macroeconomic impact, so different rules apply.
3) Yes, there are many for whom enough is never enough, but bringing their pay up to that of some of their professional friends would at least make this bribery more difficult and reduce the undignified scrabbling around for expenses they can claim.
Of course we could avoid all of this with some sensible, anti-corruption rules:
1) political donations limited to say £1000/annum per person, and
2) only from UK citizens (no corporations/organizations or foreigners).
3) no paid work other than their work as MPs.
4) a contracted minimum number of working hours.
5) a total ban on lobbying.
