Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:53 pm  

Richie wrote:

But would the applicants be any good? Is the skill set of a recently qualified doctor, majority of teachers or lawyers adequate for that kind of position?

If the incumbents are any indicator of required skills, I reckon I could get 650 equally qualified candidates straight off the dole queue

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:06 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

If the incumbents are any indicator of required skills, I reckon I could get 650 equally qualified candidates straight off the dole queue

....and isn't that exactly where I started this?

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:13 pm  

Richie wrote:

But would the applicants be any good? Is the skill set of a recently qualified doctor, majority of teachers or lawyers adequate for that kind of position?

You're so spot on. I find it hard to believe that there is anybody in the world, let alone the UK, who would come close to matching the present or past MP skill sets of the likes of Michael Gove, Jacqui Smith, Hazel Blears, Patrick Mercer, Nadine Dorries, Keith Vaz or Eric Pickles, toi name but a smidgeon. We are just lucky to have them.

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:16 pm  

Is there a performance related pay / disciplinary element linked to meeting their manifesto "promises" / local issue "pledges" ?

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:24 pm  

shinymcshine wrote:

Is there a performance related pay / disciplinary element linked to meeting their manifesto "promises" / local issue "pledges" ?

Don't be silly.

In fact if you have a look through the new Health Bill, they've actually managed to slip in a couple of clauses that absolve the Secretary of State for Health of any responsibilty towards the NHS and following Hunt losing a couple of Judicial Reviews on closing hospitals/A&E departments, he's now seeking statutory authority to close ANY hospital/department as he sees fit without any recourse to law.

Upholders of democracy my 'arris

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:26 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

You're so spot on. I find it hard to believe that there is anybody in the world, let alone the UK, who would come close to matching the present or past MP skill sets of the likes of Michael Gove, Jacqui Smith, Hazel Blears, Patrick Mercer, Nadine Dorries, Keith Vaz or Eric Pickles, toi name but a smidgeon. We are just lucky to have them.

Assuming you are being sarcastic, how do you propose we get better people those roles?

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 4:44 pm  

Richie wrote:

Assuming you are being sarcastic, how do you propose we get better people those roles?

We pay the recommended salary as indicated by an independent Committee....... Oh, wait a minute!

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:08 pm  

I was listening to three MP's on Radio 5 after PMQ's the other day and I was flabbagasted to hear all of them singing from the same hymn sheet, pity it was all of them saying that it was out of their hands and they 'had' to receive it. Remember what happened when the 'independent' police pay review was put before government. Hypocrites.

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:20 pm  

rumpelstiltskin wrote:

We pay the recommended salary as indicated by an independent Committee....... Oh, wait a minute!

Will that attract a better calibre of candidate?

Re: Christmas Cheer! MPs' pay to go up 11% : Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:29 pm  

Why are you all getting so bent out of shape about it? It's not their fault, the poor souls are being FORCED into this measly 7.5k p/a increase, they don't WANT it.. do they?

Gah, everybody in here is so quick to blame the MP's for everything. They will do everything they can to avoid their rise. Except trying to avoid the rise.

Now let them get back to not doing their jobs and go and turn your heating off, It's been on for 5 minutes and that's all you can afford.

Chop-chop, peasants