Who do you want to be the next speaker of the House of Commons?

[belboid]

Better still, if they didn't treat their membership of the Commons as a full-time job, they could have a, well, job, which would do far more to keep them grounded in reality.

I wonder how many cleaners, call centre operatives, shop workers, etc etc we'd get?

Mp's 'second' jobs wouldn't keep them in touch, they would make them even more remote

 

[untethered]

I wonder how many cleaners, call centre operatives, shop workers, etc etc we'd get?

It's well known that only low-paid service sector workers are "real people" or have any idea about the "real world".

Doctors, solicitors and teachers are just so remote from the reality of ordinary people's lives it's a wonder they have any clue at all.

 

[belboid]

so they are they only ones who should be represented, of course. The minority who get salaries above the mean.

How many cleaners, call centre operatives, shop workers, etc etc do you think we'd get?

 

[untethered]

The minority who get salaries above the mean.

Oops.

 

[belboid]

you dont understand do you? Oh dear, poor fool.

Go and google 'average' and 'mean', and then look up how many people get paid that much

 

[Azrael]

How many cleaners, call centre operatives, shop workers, etc etc do you think we'd get?

How many do we get now? If this mythical cleaner or call centre operative were to become an MP on £100K a year, they'd soon loose touch with the real world.

How much do you think MPs should be paid, and how would you ensure they have contact with normal life without detracting from their duties?

 

[untethered]

you dont understand do you? Oh dear, poor fool.

Go and google 'average' and 'mean', and then look up how many people get paid that much

I can assure you I understand the different ways of calculating averages perfectly well.

Now perhaps you could explain how someone's salary is necessarily connected to their participation in the "real world".

 

[belboid]

How many do we get now? If this mythical cleaner or call centre operative were to become an MP on £100K a year, they'd soon loose touch with the real world.

How much do you think MPs should be paid, and how would you ensure they have contact with normal life without detracting from their duties?

they should be paid the average workes wage, that'd do it

 

[belboid]

I can assure you I understand the different ways of calculating averages perfectly well.

Now perhaps you could explain how someone's salary is necessarily connected to their participation in the "real world".

you clearly dont, thats why you made your silly post before.

I am sure cunts like Fred Goodwin and Stephen hester have a great understanding of what its like to struggle to feed your kids every week.

 

[untethered]

I am sure c- like Fred Goodwin and Stephen hester have a great understanding of what its like to struggle to feed your kids every week.

Two very poor examples of actual or prospective MPs, I feel.

 

[belboid]

Two very poor examples of actual or prospective MPs, I feel.

One great example of a tory tit avoiding the point cos he's knows he's talking shite

 

[untethered]

One great example of a tory t- avoiding the point cos he's knows he's talking s-

It's precisely the point.

The people you mention are quite unlikely to want to become MPs and very few people of that class ever do. However, we do get very large numbers of middle-income professionals in jobs that put them in daily contact with a far broader cross-section of the population in any meaningful sense than the average cleaner or call centre worker.

 

[Streathamite]

Now perhaps you could explain how someone's salary is necessarily connected to their participation in the "real world".

because - obviously, I'd have thought - if you are six-figure salary corporate lawyer as well as an MP - you have very little 'connection' to the 'real world' problems and deprivations of most of your constituents, unless you happen to represent Kensington

 

[untethered]

because - obviously, I'd have thought - if you are six-figure salary corporate lawyer as well as an MP - you have very little 'connection' to the 'real world' problems and deprivations of most of your constituents, unless you happen to represent Kensington

Without accepting your point, try again taking into account the word "necessarily".

 

[Streathamite]

Without accepting your point, try again taking into account the word "necessarily".

I did: It inevitably, 'necessarily' affects are ability to understand the lives and problems of those with radically different salaries, lifestyles etc; But, also, we are talking specifically about MPs here, and their prime need to relate to and understand the problems of those, in the 'real world', they purport to represent.
e2a; The most likely tory candidate in streatham next time round - i understand it - a highflying management whizzkid. How can he ever understand life from the perspective of those on the miles of rundown estates.
which for me is 'necessarily' a requirement for an MP.

 

[belboid]

It's precisely the point.

The people you mention are quite unlikely to want to become MPs and very few people of that class ever do. However, we do get very large numbers of middle-income professionals in jobs that put them in daily contact with a far broader cross-section of the population in any meaningful sense than the average cleaner or call centre worker.

corporate lawyers in touch with ordinary folks?? dont make me laugh

 

[Azrael]

because - obviously, I'd have thought - if you are six-figure salary corporate lawyer as well as an MP - you have very little 'connection' to the 'real world' problems and deprivations of most of your constituents, unless you happen to represent Kensington

How are these "real world" problems to be represented in Parliament? (And isn't the life of someone in Kensington just as much a part of the real world as that of someone on the dole?) Once the poor person has been given membership of the best gentlemen's club in London and £100K per annum, they're no longer poor. They might remember what it's like to be poor, but it's remarkable how quickly memory fades. Whose interests will they now defend: those of the poor, or those of people like them?

And it's not just about amount of income. People who work hard for X income tend to have different views and aspirations from people who scam X income.

 

[belboid]

Without accepting your point, try again taking into account the word "necessarily".

giggles.

You proposiong that anyone applying to become an MP takes a test as to how much a bottle of milk or nappies cost, or how much a weeks dole is? Go for it - there'd be no one able to stand for your lot!

 

[Azrael]

Go for it - there'd be no one able to stand for your lot!

Assuming that you yanked Google for a few weeks.

 

[belboid]

How are these "real world" problems to be represented in Parliament? (And isn't the life of someone in Kensington just as much a part of the real world as that of someone on the dole?) Once the poor person has been given membership of the best gentlemen's club in London and £100K per annum, they're no longer poor. They might remember what it's like to be poor, but it's remarkable how quickly memory fades. Whose interests will they now defend: those of the poor, or those of people like them?

And it's not just about amount of income. People who work hard for X income tend to have different views and aspirations from people who scam X income.

aah, a lovely excuse for your preferred solution of makng parliament accesible only to the rich

Pay the fuckers average (median!) wage, and that'd solve that problem

 

[untethered]

I did: It inevitably, 'necessarily' affects are ability to understand the lives and problems of those with radically different salaries, lifestyles etc; But, also, we are talking specifically about MPs here, and their prime need to relate to and understand the problems of those, in the 'real world', they purport to represent.

I'm still confused as to how a middle-income teacher, doctor or lawyer would be less in touch with the problems of ordinary people than a cleaner or call-centre worker.

More interestingly, I'd like to know why someone with the ability to get themselves elected to parliament would want to work as a cleaner or in a call centre.

 

[belboid]

I'm still confused as to how a middle-income teacher, doctor or lawyer would be less in touch with the problems of ordinary people than a cleaner or call-centre worker.

More interestingly, I'd like to know why someone with the ability to get themselves elected to parliament would want to work as a cleaner or in a call centre.

Again, a superb example of missing the point.

 

[untethered]

You proposiong that anyone applying to become an MP takes a test as to how much a bottle of milk or nappies cost, or how much a weeks dole is? Go for it - there'd be no one able to stand for your lot!

I think you're going to have to explain the relevance of these things.

 

[Azrael]

aah, a lovely excuse for your preferred solution of makng parliament accesible only to the rich

Pay the fuckers average (median!) wage, and that'd solve that problem

I'd be happy to try MPs out at average wage for a while. Will this solve the problem you identify though? If keeping the number of rich MPs down is your aim, average wage might put people of modest means off applying for the "job".

And to correct the misrepresentation of my "preferred solution", I said I wanted MPs to have an independent income. That needn't mean rich. Labour MPs used to be sponsored by their unions. My solution could see an upsurge in union activity and money going to people instead of parties.

 

[Voley]

Landslide victory for Keith Harris and Orville according to this poll.

 

[untethered]

And to correct the misrepresentation of my "preferred solution", I said I wanted MPs to have an independent income. That needn't mean rich. Labour MPs used to be sponsored by their unions. My solution could see an upsurge in union activity and money going to people instead of parties.

Indeed. If you can live on £50K as a teacher I'm sure you can do that and do a bit of MPing in your spare time without needing any substantial supplement.

 

[belboid]

I think you're going to have to explain the relevance of these things.

I doubt I'd need to explain the relevaance to anyone who struggles to pay for/receive them

 

[Azrael]

Indeed. If you can live on £50K as a teacher I'm sure you can do that and do a bit of MPing in your spare time without needing any substantial supplement.

It might cut the amount of laws they're able to pass, which given the quality of recent law, can only be a good thing!

 

[belboid]

I'd be happy to try MPs out at average wage for a while. Will this solve the problem you identify though? If keeping the number of rich MPs down is your aim, average wage might put people of modest means off applying for the "job".

only if they're in it for the money - and fuck them

 

[belboid]

Indeed. If you can live on £50K as a teacher I'm sure you can do that and do a bit of MPing in your spare time without needing any substantial supplement.

aah, tory wishes to reduce backbenchers ability to scrutinise the government substantially, quelle surprise