MPs pay cut

A brief question from me today hit the Tories' in their most sensitive erogenous zone. Their wallet.

The new plans for MPs' future conduct has depressed the spirits of some MPs. I plunged them into deeper gloom by recalling the scandal of  MPs with multiple jobs.  Frequently I have described the semi-corrupt revolving door from which former ministers hawk their influence and contact secrets to the highest bidder. 

I suggested to Commons Leader Harriet Harman that to encourage MPs to concentrate on their duties, the pay of moonlighting members should be reduced. No MPs can do justice to two or more full-time jobs. She was friendly towards to the suggestion. The Tory MPs were not.

Peter Lilley brought up the usual justification. He said the only time he did two jobs was when he was a minister and an MP. Should MPs lose some of their salaries when they became ministers?

The answer is that being a minister is part of the jobs of politicians. There is an extra burden on MPs staff when their boss is away on ministerial duties. This is difficult but MPs staff are sufficiently skilled to cope. But it is not fair to impose an additional burden on them because their boss is away earning extra cash working for Mega-greed PLC.

The present proposal from Gordon Brown is to publish the time that MPs spend moonlighting. Constituents may well react strongly when they discover that their representative is a part timer. 

That is a reform worth having.

Burcow Bright

So far: so novel.

It was a strange occasion to have a new voice in the chair of the Commons.  John Bercow did well. The questions and answers were more crisp, because he said they must be. There was none of the tedious flow of repeated 'Welcome to the Chair Mr Speaker' because he stopped that after he first couple of sycophantic tributes. Speaker Burcow has eliminated some of the wordy ectoplasm that is an obstacle to the public's understanding of Common's debate.

Already MPs are trimming their questions to be briefer and more pithy. Some of the polyfilla of tedium that clogs parliamentary procedure may be forced out.

He has abandoned the fancy dress that every other Speaker used. He did not rebuke Gordon Brown for pre-announcing a statement on the Today's programme this morning. One of my correspondents KayTie suggested he should. One reform at a time. Tomorrow's Prime Minister's Question should be fascinating. What new conduct will he demand?

Nadine

The Tory's embarrassing oddity Nadine Dorries MP is at it again.

She mistakenly claimed that only a handful of Tories voted for John Bercow last night. This is not true. The number crunchers convinced me today that it was at least 20. One who does not want to publicly declare told me that a socialist Speaker  would be a curb on an over reaching new Tory PM with a large majority. This is sophisticated voting and very convincing.

Nadine knows that going 'over the top' guarantees instant publicity. That is what she loves. If the Tories do win next year, they would not be stupid enough to attack a sitting Speaker. 

Bercow is safe for the next nine years.

Fallen Sisters 

Diners in the Commons Members Dining Room tonight were intrigued by a gathering of Labour women at one table.

The company included Jacqui Smith, Hazel Blears, Caroline Flint, Kitty Usher and Meg Munn.  There was a lot of hilarity from the table. 

What on earth could they have been talking about?

Comments

[DG]

Isn't she the one who said Trident isn't a weapon of mass destruction on Question Time?

[George Laird]

Dear Paul

"The Tory's embarrassing oddity Nadine Dorries MP is at it again".

She gets a bit of free publicity and is now like an addict.

Next thing you know she will hanging outside tv studios and nightclubs looking for the pap to photo her.

She's a strange one!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

[Grant T]

Watching your speech live now on the Iraq Inquiry Debate. Very Good speech so far.

You just got interupted by the Lib Dem Health spokesman.

You have summed up exactly what happened. Parliament was lied to, so many people voted for the war because of Tony Blair's 45 minute warning speech, if they knew the truth I feel they would of voted differently. Nice comparison with Vietnam ;)

[Grant T]

I have yet to make up my mind on the whole second jobs issue, some people shout you can't have part time politicians, others say they have to have life experience too. I have yet to hear a convincing argument or debate either way, I would love a full debate in Parliament on this.

I do hope Bercow does something about Gordon Brown's announcement on the radio, then he will really show a stamp of authority and might be able to please his old party.

Nadine, Nadine. All I can say is you have really gone down in my expectations, you have shown yourself to be very childish. Bercow was voted in, in a demcoratic election with over 50% of the vote may I add. Are you arguing against democracy Nadine? And I will add once more the position of speaker is above party politics and is explicity non-political, so who cares who his wife is or what his views are.

Wouldn't you have loved to be on that table? I don't know why they were laughing so much unless it was at themselves, for their failed attempt at ousting Mr Brown.