Jackqui Smith Down

Actually very similar to my problem. Where I used to live we had a very
good (Tory) MP who was pro-EU and Pro HR Act... Which was handy - and he
was a personal friend.

Now we have 'party employees' only as candidates (for the EP Elections
tomorrow) - none of whom gives a stuff about anything other than a
political career...

To be fair - a large number of seats are effectively rotten boroughs
anyway.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Colin Irvine

My problem with that is their proposal for a local income tax. That
would more than double my household's local tax bill (based on their
calculator). I do not regard that as fair, given out level of usage of
local services. I won't vote for that.

So, I'm fucked.

Spoilt ballot.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

The local council for me is Conservative-controlled and has pretty much
the lowest council tax bills in the country, half the going rate. If the
Lib Dems got in and managed to enact their plans for a local council tax
it'd easily quadruple (if not more) the bill.

But I'd still rather have them than either of the other two.

 

My Local councel is labour / libdem split with no majority. I live in
a libdem borough, and like the fact they actually push to get local
services sorted, and do seem to get things done.

Common sense says vote libdem, although there's another voice saying
"Vote green, just to piss Nigel off."

 

That £24k additional cost allowance is the one that's being referred to
throughout this thread.

Not at all.

Merely that they ought to be playing by the rules THEY SET for the rest
of us to play by. I have no problem with a £30k/year pension pot - as
long as it's clearly stated (and taxed) as such, as it would be for
anybody else.

 

Such is your choice.

Do you live in a marginal Labour/Tory constituency, btw?

 

Providing the constituency has returned a candidate whose views are
aligned with their own, they should be the same thing.

 

So, how should constituents get their views represented at a national
policy making level, of not by their elected MP?

 

Erm, I don't want to sound dim, but is this >60k requirement down to
massive mortgages? I remember when I was working (5 years ago) and
earning slightly less than that, I knew lots of folks earning about a
third of that, and surviving quite comfortably.

Or should I be reading on down the thread to discover that it's just a
wind-up?

 

Exactly. "Write to your MP". Not a lot of point, if he's not in agreement
then.

 

Put it the other way round. How on earth do you expect an MP to
represent the views of his constituents when there won't be a single
issue on which they all agree?

 

The only local service we don't use is education, and I'm quite happy
to fund that as being a Good Thing.

 

No, it's down to a fairly preposterous supposition that 60k is somehow
inadequate pay for a job that's basically part middle management and
part social worker.

60k is still reasonable wedge, even with a silly mortgage.

 

Not quite...

There is salvation on the horizon http://www.omrlp.com/

 

No. Apparently it's not enough to be an MP on.

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I'm not sure 60k is reasonable wedge for someone who is meant to be
helping set the strategic agenda for the entire country. I think it's not
a job you can do properly if you're always worried about having the gas
cut off.

 

Is that what a backbench MP does? Crikey. I had no idea.

Remember, at 60 grand these aren't ministers we're talking about.

 

I've already tried to argue the same point but ended up being unable
to persuade the masses that £60k isn't a realistic salary for someone
responsible for the way this country is run.

Apparently nobody rebels against the party whip so a back bench MP is
merely a camp guard following orders.

 

I knew someone would indulge themselves on that one.

 

I don't think it does any harm to try.