Should MPs have second jobs and other ways to boost their salary?

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MPs get paid £67,000 per annum but a row has just erupted with two senior MPs who were both previously foreign secretaries apparently being prepared to be paid cash in return for offering their services to a private firm.

Some reporters for the Daily Telegraph and Channel 4’s Dispatches programme posed as the staff of a fake Chinese firm which met separately with the MPs to discuss paying them for various services.

The Labour MP Mr Straw said that he would normally charge £5,000 per day for his services and Sir Malcolm Rifkind the Conservative MP for Kensington said his charges would be “somewhere in the region of £5,000 to £8,000 for half a days work”.

The Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, has recommended that there should be no second jobs for MPs and they should focus on being an MP?

What do you think? Is it OK to have a second job, so long as they pay tax?  Does a second job allow potential exploitation?

Should MPs have second jobs and other ways to boost their salary?

571 people have already voted, what's your opinion? Yes No

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kallen
10th Apr 2015
1
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I feel that being an MP should fill their days work. most MPs have worked for a number of years in the private sector, when they become an MP they are now entering public service, not to be better able to fill their own pockets but to help their constituents get a fairer life. It's shouldn't be about them but us. A simplistic view perhaps.
I had thought that was the way it is supposed to be, that's what I had thought being a politician was serving your community, seems to have changed a bit.
How is it possible that they cannot be affected by their private interests, it bound to bias them? Isn't it .
By excusing themselves, even doing that would bias your colleagues to consider how their deliberations would effect the per son.
We supposedly don't have a class system now, but it does seem to be jobs for the boys, that's not the correct basics for a fairer democracy. Which is what the system is all about. Same as first past the post isn't a fair representation of the way we vote. It's a much simpler way to get results. Unfortunately in the recent supposedly unbiased referendum which was poorly explained by all politicians in power at the time would have created a better and fairer situation. With only a small percentage of voters voting, I feel that the number of people who showed no interest in being involved should have been a warning to the government that something was seriously wrong. Just because it would have effected all of them and some certainties would become probabilities, thus giving us a fairer system. All it did was waste a load if public money.
RickOshay
8th Mar 2015
3
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The fact that MPs consider it appropriate to have a second job is just one of the reasons that so many people are disenchanted with politics. There is an appalling arrogance behind the view that a representative of democracy can treat the position as part-time.
TerrySargant
27th Feb 2015
7
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Surely this is a "no brainer".
How can a man/woman with such a responsible job be able to do justice to his country and constituency while doing a second job.
a) Their salary is quite sufficient when you take into consideration their endless and sometimes fiddled expenses. YES, THEY STILL DO IT. When I was working I had to produce receipts for ALL my expenses (which were closely checked). I did not have staff to help me do it like M.P.s have.
b) Do not forget their ridiculously long holiday entitlement ? How many days work do they actually do at Westminster ?
c) Have you noticed how empty the house of commons is on a Friday afternoon ? Most M.P.s disappear off to their second homes or constituencies on Thursday for a long week-end.
They should all regard it as a privilege to represent us and not regard it as bottomless money pit !
HJR58
26th Feb 2015
5
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This weeks debacle has shown us again that most MPs are out for themselves! Unbelievable arrogance and complete denial about how they're actions would be perceived. I saddens me that there seems to me so few people in Westminster with any passion, commitment or charisma.
Bazeley
25th Feb 2015
4
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I think it depends on the job. Backbenchers who still have second jobs that means we don't have 'career' politicians are no bad thing but ministers with responsibilities shouldn't have the time between handling their constituencies and their ministerial role. The problem is that the lucrative 'consultancy' roles are probably only on offer to those MP's with the ministerial responsibilities - and it is that type of job that smacks of an abuse of the system.
babylady
24th Feb 2015
5
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Why should they need more money when young children starve, sleep in smelly beds, no heating, neglected. Beaten, sexually abused. Make the MPS walk around the povety areas build homes, give jobs, stop England ignore these signs. Stand up MPS stop being blind, don't sweep this under the carpet.
SovereignInventory
24th Feb 2015
6
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Why don't MP's work FULL time for their 'benefits', just like they advise that young people should work for theirs?
Peter
24th Feb 2015
7
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While I think it's very important that our politicians have experience of real work outside of politics before they become MPs (and I think its pretty clear that the likes of Milliband and Cameron haven't!) once they become MPs they should devote themselves to the task full time. That's what they sign up for and that's what we pay them for. Plus the get all the extras and expenses while working as an MP and huge salaries once they leave parliament - just look at how wealthy Tony Blair is now - he's worth over £20 million!!
Grandma1
23rd Feb 2015
7
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Rifking had the audacity to say this morning, whilst attempting to justify his actions, that70 to 75% of his time he spends on his ministerial duties. That to me is part time, so why is he getting the full salary plus all the other perks of a F/T MP??? How or why should we trust any of them?
misty22
23rd Feb 2015
9
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Please can anyone tell me of any other employment that offers so much for so little. They take and take, no matter which party, they are all out for themselves, lining their own pockets and nest eggs. Oh they are all great at presenting themselves at election times, smiling their false smile, kissing babies, shaking hands with general public as long as the cameras are rolling. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they go home and moan about what they have had to do to keep their lifestyle, and try to get re-elected for another term of free living, and I say No to 2nd jobs.
Wilf
23rd Feb 2015
7
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Yes and they also claim a lot...remember the expenses scandal and claiming for duck houses etc...unbelievable. No wonder the public have no faith in politicians
Jo Kingham
23rd Feb 2015
6
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Doing their main jobs properly would be a good start rather than taking second jobs.
Archiebald
23rd Feb 2015
6
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Totally agree...most don't even turn up to the house of commons!! If I did nt turn up for work I would be sacked...one rule for some and another for the rest!!! smacks of hypocrisy to me!
mick2e1hzm
23rd Feb 2015
7
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67K plus expenses and they still want more, PURE GREED and not what they where elected for
Kelly1419
23rd Feb 2015
6
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It seems to me that MPs do not spend the salary they get as almost everything is claimed on expenses! The smallest item and even their food is put down to expenses. Some employ they wives and other relatives in their offices getting more family income. The restaurants and bars in Parliament are subsidised. Cars are provided including chauffeurs in some cases for even the shortest journeys. Some parliamentarians have built up a property portfolio starting with their subsidised second homes. I agree that some knowledge of life outside politics is beneficial but being an MP should be a full time job.
Munsterlander
23rd Feb 2015
-8
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I completely disagree with Archiebald. If you stop MPs earning money from second jobs, you will narrow the amount of good people coming into politics's. We want the best to represent our people and by the very nature of the job they should have been successful in a previous work life before becoming an MP. It would be madness to stop this,as long as there is not a conflict of political interests.

Ps It also helps keep their parliamentary wages down
Archiebald
23rd Feb 2015
7
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Munsterlander-I have one job and do it well. I don't have 2 or 3 and earn £8,000 for half a day like Mr Rifkind. These MPs are on another planet! How can they understand what the average Brit has to put up with?
rudgy
23rd Feb 2015
6
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I wonder if you claim benefits and not entitled,you could say it was to boost your salary .Do not think so .
Then politicians get away with everything .They find it difficult to manage even when their claiming for all and sundry.What will happen to Rifkind & Straw nothing as usual .
Archiebald
23rd Feb 2015
7
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I think this is outrageous. These people should know better. They have been in Parliament for years. How many other MPs have been caught by this type of "spoof". Are they all fools?
£67k is twice the average amount Brits get paid and they should do their jobs as MPs not try and get other monies on the side. Stop all MPs second jobs I say and make sure they do their jobs properly!

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