The “grim” struggle of living on an MP’s *£81,932 salary* [angry]

I know for a fact that not all accountants earn £80k pa.

I agree with the posters here that all income should be taxed and additionally should be further stepped whilst reducing indirect taxation such as vat and fuel tax. In that way those with small or moderate incomes would keep more of their earnings and outgoings would reduce a little. Indirect taxation is a very unfair method of taxation in my opinion as it is paid equally by all.

As for Peter Bottomley with his three houses and private income in addition to his MPs salary, he has no right to complain. It disgusts me when so many people are wondering how they are going to manage this winter.

I agree, it’s all about expectations though, if you are used to the ‘high life’ it won’t seem all that well paid, but it’s hardly grim!

Disgraceful.

"I don't know how they manage. It's really grim."

Said by a man who has consistently voted for a reduction in spending on Welfare Benefits; it is a matter of public record record that he also voted against raising Welfare Benefits at least in line with prices, and he has voted against paying higher benefits for longer periods for people who are unable to work due to illness or disability.

So, it couldn't be more stark really could it?

It's so grossly, offensively insensitive.

Yes.

Plus a few expenses, don't forget.

For me, the crux of this story isn't whether the salaries are appropriate or not. They might well be lower than they deserve.

What matters is that anybody might think living on £80,000 a year is grim.

X posts

You are all very speedy!

When MPs salaries are compared with those at the higher echelons of the private sector, and even the public sector, it is claimed they are insignificant.

For example, in 2019, the Head of the Metropolitan Police earned £278,563. Likewise, a quarter of Head Teachers at secondary schools were reported to earn over £100,000.

It is argued that the comparatively lower salary of politicians is likely to deter high calibre workers from entering the political field.

www.politics.co.uk/reference/mps-salary

(I Googled, there could be more up-to-date accurate information.)

How do the salaries compare with those of other countries?

cross post grannyactivist, Miss A

Bottomley's remark was in an interview with the New Statesman.

To be fair, he didn't say it was difficult for him to live on it, but that new MPs found it "desperately difficult" and that he didn't know "how they manage. Its really grim".

He also thinks someone working as a good (?) teacher, social worker or Union official would struggle to come to terms with such a reduced salary because they would be significantly worse off.

lemon the comments were made in an interview to The New Statesman and reported thus:

While Bottomley no longer suffers the financial strains, he believes the situation is “desperately difficult” for his newer colleagues. “I don’t know how they manage. It’s really grim.”

It was during an interview it was said.

Was Peter Bottomley’s remark on the radio/tv / newspaper / tweet or was it a leaked ‘personal comment?’
If the former then an insensitive thing to say, however much he feels that he is hard done by with his salary.
It’s true that an MP’s salary isn’t great with all the responsibility/ aggro that goes with the job.Some years ago it was decided that an independent body would oversee the salary increases for MP’s, which seemed to award them more than when increases were secured in Parliament.It was hoped that it would put an end to excessive claims.

grrr. last para should read all incomes from assetts (and assumed incomes from assetts) should be taxed as if they were incomes.

I shall stop trying to do two things at once [smile

growstuff

Rosie51

growstuff The vast majority of footballers don't get paid the mega-salaries of the elite players.
Maybe not but they're on very good wages, even the 3rd and 4th tiers, and they earn far more than their european counterparts.
www.onaverage.co.uk/money-averages/average-premier-league-salary

What is the average salary in other English professional football leagues?
The difference in salary between the Premier League and lower leagues is very big. In the Championship the average salary is between £7,500 and £8,500 a week. The top players in the Championship can earn around £80,000 a week. The average salary in League One is between £1,700 and £2,500, and in League Two it’s between £1,300 and £1,500.

Not exactly peanuts even for the lowest division. Doesn't change the fact that it absolutely can't be a grim struggle on £80,000+ per year.

the average salary of a Premier League football player is about £50,000 per week. This average is high partially due to (the fact) that some of the top players earn up to £350,000!

And that's only for Premier League players. What about all the other professional players, who play for lower leagues and non-League sides?

As the article points out the "average" is £50,000 because it's distorted by a handful who earn six figure salaries.

I taught a boy who now plays for a Premier League club and I wouldn't mind betting he worked and trained harder during his teenage years than any MP. He's a workhorse, not a mega-star and I doubt if he'll still be playing when he's in his thirties, so I hope he's thought ahead and made plans. Maybe he could be an MP!

Well from the link I gave the lowest average for the 4th tier gives a yearly salary of £67,600. That's still well above the average salary. Ballet dancers will have worked and trained to ridiculous levels during their teenage years, maybe even harder than your workhorse, but they'll not receive anything like the same pay. If he's not Premier league standard in his thirties he can do what lots of footballers have done, drop down the leagues and then get work outside football. It does exist!

Ooops! I meant to write that there's loads of fruit which needs picking.

they ought to just heat one room to cut their energy bills and maybe he could wear an extra cardigan

‘After all, they may be a bit slower doing the work. I’ve thought of that too. I think we might arrange to exempt British pensioners from the minimum-wage laws, to allow them to do this work.’

What a cheek! A bit slower indeed. Well, perhaps I might be slower but I am still a good aim with a rotten tomato.

Yes, I do remember him Pippa. It always amazes me that people in the top decile or so think they're so poor.

Callistemon

JaneJudge

He shouldn't have had so many children if he couldn't afford to support them.

Yes, three children. That is disgraceful.

But spare a thought - he's 77 and still having to work.

There's loads of which need picking.

metro.co.uk/2016/03/14/conservative-mp-planned-to-put-pensioners-to-work-picking-fruit-5752178/

Do you remember the guy on Question Time who said he could not be in the top 5% of incomes.

He said "“I’d like to call out Labour as liars,” he told Burgon. The man said he was “not even in the top 50%” and claimed that every doctor, accountant, solicitor in the country earned at least £80,000. The the top 5% “don’t even work because they’re rich – they’re not employees,” he added."

He had got the top 5% of salaries and the top 5% of incomes muddled up.

It made me wonder how many people thing "everyone" earns the same or near to their income?

(That story always reinforces my view that all incomes (and assumed incomes) should be taxed as if they were incomes. I think that man on over £80,000 might well agree.

That's how DH watches tv.

If I sneak the controls and turn over he says 'Hey, I was watching that!'.

youtu.be/HZXOP4xmnmo