Tory hypocrites say they can’t survive on £82k but we can make do with £18k; Johnson runs away
Backhander: if Tories are taking money from corporates, who do you think they are representing in Parliament? It isn’t you!
It doesn’t matter which side won the Parliamentary debate on whether having a second job is a mark of corruption in a member of Parliament – or whether they should be paid more, so they don’t need(?) another job.
The public decision has already been made.
So Peter Bottomley’s miserable pleading that £81,000 per year isn’t enough and MPs should be paid more is easily dismissed – especially when most of the country is trying to exist on less than £18,000.
You are aware of the salary when you run for parliament, so don't start crying £81k isn't enough when there's people in work using Foodbanks.
— Alex Tiffin (@RespectIsVital) November 7, 2021
Advisory roles?
They’re too easily corrupted into paid advocacy – exactly the kind of thing that led to Owen Paterson’s ejection from Parliament:
The sole focus of an MP should be on doing the job they stood for – representing local people.
If they want to seek highly paid "advisory roles" elsewhere then nobody is stopping them.
But first they should step down as an MP – and let's see who wants them as an "advisor" then.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) November 7, 2021
Richard Burgon’s comment echoes one I made a few days ago: that companies don’t hire MPs to “advise” them – they hire MPs to represent their interests when plum contracts become available.
Senior Tories still think it is acceptable to speak in support of this attitude:
Tory MP reckons that MPs having second jobs ‘adds to the richness’ of Parliament.
I reckon MPs having second jobs adds only to the riches of MPs’ pockets.
Ban the lot of it. pic.twitter.com/4MlPJiRTWp
— Jon Trickett MP (@jon_trickett) November 8, 2021
Well, there are lots of MPs with second (and more) jobs in Parliament:
30 MPs are also paid consultants.
As much as Labour can be a pain in the backside it won’t surprise you to learn that 96.3% of those MPs are non-Labour.
— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) November 8, 2021
The rot goes right to the top:
The current Health Secretary was getting £1,500 per HOUR earlier this year working for a US investment bank while also being an MP.
It's completely unacceptable. The Bill I'm putting down will ban second jobs for MPs.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) November 8, 2021
And I wondered whether Randox will still want to employ Paterson when he is no longer an MP. What do you think the answer will be?
We’re even making jokes about it, in typical British style:
My daughter went trick or treating dressed as a Tory MP and the local healthcare company gave her a £9000 a month retainer. True story.
— David__Osland (@David__Osland) November 8, 2021
And where was Boris Johnson during the debate?
No10 confirms Boris Johnson will skip Tory sleaze debate as MPs demand public inquiryhttps://t.co/4KnN9GKMDJ pic.twitter.com/g6lPwp5PJI
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) November 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/David__Osland/status/1457748934164631556
In fact, he was in a hospital in Northumbria, making a potential contagion risk out of himself by wandering around without a face mask.
He was challenged on the subject of the Parliamentary debate! But he showed what an absolute and utter disgrace he is by refusing to answer it, point-blank:
This is a graphic example of the contempt in which the PM holds the public
Q. “Do you regret the huge error of judgement that saw you attempting to rewrite Parliamentary rules in favour of a friend & will you apologize to the public?”
PM ignores questionpic.twitter.com/rOWibr179h
— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) November 8, 2021
He didn’t have an answer. So, typically of this prime minister, he ran away and left his underlings to take the flak.
My total annual income (JSA + Housing Benefit) is almost £8000. Eight Grand. Ten times less than an MP, and that’s not including their expenses.