New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8592174.stm

Not much detail in the above link yet but what I've just been listening to on the BBC sounds quite reasonable. Of course there'll now be demands for higher salaries so it'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Can't see why they can't raise salaries and remove most expenses other that those incurred on official business.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

They should all come out on strike.
See if anyone even notices a difference.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

I think this just about guarantees a payrise for them, although it should never be anywhere near what they ask for.

Incidentally if a Labour MP suggests a payrise in the House of Commons, shouldn't it be the Tories' place to oppose it?

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

No, these things are decided by a free vote.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

I think a plot of land should be set aside and a tower block of flats should be built and mps who have to live in London while in parlement should live in them free of charge

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Also leaves open the possibility of Animal House style antics! :D Might be a bit of a security issue though...On the other hand they could set it up with good facilities for the MPs to work with.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

A massive security risk, imagine the Al Qaeda nutters salivating at the thought of one building containing the majority of the British government.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

What, you mean like this place?

http://www.ben-chapman.org.uk/upload...3b3390f92e.jpg

;)

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

That's hard enough for them to get to - do we want to give them another target?

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Everywhere is a target. With appropriate security, the risk can be managed. I certainly don't think it's a reason not to consider a hostel for MPs.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Russ, I hate to break it to you, but Westminster is a big fat juicy, easy target. I'll give you a hint of the route and delivery method I'd use.... It's in the foreground of the picture. ;)

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

What, you mean like this place? ;)

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2010/03/7.jpg

If it was that easy it would have already been attacked, clearly repeatedly if someone with your worldly knowledge was involved :)

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Well as they have a free vote each time to decide their own wages I don't suppose there will be much to stop them going for as high a raise as they can persuade other MPs to vote for.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Not necessarily Russ. Its a matter of scale of destruction, and the logistics requirements to make a really big boom. While it would be relatively easy to get four blokes into the area around Westminster with a couple of pounds of home-made explosives and metal to do more damage from fragmentation. Its a much greater problem to gather 5,000 - 10,000 lbs of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, ignition and booster charges, detonators, and a reliable detonation system. Not forgetting the boat needed to carry said explosive device into the centre of London....

Big bombs, that make big statements, require a massive investment in time and resources. The more people involved, the higher the risk the operation will be compromised. Conversely, the fewer people involved, the more time required to gather all the kit needed, also increases the prospect of compromise....

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

So....not quite so easy then?

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Hasn't this, or isn't it going to be stopped in the very near future where they decide and vote on their rise, I seem to have read something sometime ago about this.

Even so you can bet they will get a substantial 4 figure rise before very long.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Sorry if I caused confusion Russ, I should have made it clear that the easy bit is delivery to the target.... Basically you just sail up or down the Thames with a boat full of explosives. Really now need for me to have gotten vaguely technical about the making of said device. ;)

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

So the House isn't really an easy target, but it IS a target. Do we really want to give the nutters another one?

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Not according to this.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...e-mps-pay-rise

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

To be honest, I think that, given the state of the country, the MPs do not deserve the payrise which they have been angling for.

There are lots of people doing a good job who do not get half the perks or pay our MPs get, nor do they try to fiddle their expenses at the expense of the taxpayer.

Our MPs think that they are better than the rest of us and deserve a first class elitist lifestyle at our expense. It's time that they learned to live within their means like we have to do.

Interesting that while other people's pay is being frozen or cut, they want a £1000 pay rise. They seem to forget that the parlous state of the country occurred on their watch as a result of decisions they made.

There are lots of ways to improve this country but strangely the ideas are coming from members of the public rather than from the MPs who are paid handsomely to do that. If we had a system of payment by results the MPs would be paying us.

Given that Sir Ian Kennedy seems to be watering down the original proposals I imagine that this new scheme will be full of exploitable loopholes of which MPs can take advantage.

Only time and parliamentary whistleblowers will tell.

Re: New scheme for MP's allowances announced
 

Agreed.