http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31580374
"We were caught in a trap"
"We were caught in a trap"
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The "Straw man" argument
Not quite correct Elvis earworm now... -
The "Straw man" argument
What's more impressive is that Rifkind isn't aware he's drawing a salary as an MP.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
That's one of them down!
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/23/conservatives-suspend-sir-malcolm-rifkind-over-cash-for-access-claims
(Am I right in thinking "[strike]Dagenham[/strike] Brentwood Jack" isn't standing next time round?)Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
I think he was saying that he doesn't consider £67000 a year to be sufficient to keep him in the style to which he's become accustomed.
Dick.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Rifkind's on more than that isn't he?
He's chair of some committee or other, IIRC?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
not sure.Guy Potger wrote: Rifkind's on more than that isn't he?
He's chair of some committee or other, IIRC?
It was that conversation he had with John Humphrys this morning. The subtext was interesting - 'you know, John, how the fuck can I live on that salary? you're on three or four times more - you wouldn't do it, would you?' And I could imagine Humphrys nodding his head in agreement.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
The intelligence select committee, isn't it?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
£82 grand salary for that or something almost adjacent.
Apparently.
Meanwhile, he should be just about to rub along on this:
http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/business-news/politics/revealed-sir-malcolm-rifkinds-240000-side-earnings/616.articleComment
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The "Straw man" argument
Aye. Radio Headmaster (as my brother dismisses it) isn't the best place to go for an anti-establishment challenge. Even without JH's own personal income circumstances, it probably wouldn't occur to him to think- let alone ask- "Why didn't Malky fuck off back to his professional salary in Edinburgh then, rather than hanging around Westminster like a bad smell for the last 30 years?"Vicarious Thrillseeker wrote:
It was that conversation he had with John Humphrys this morning. The subtext was interesting - 'you know, John, how the fuck can I live on that salary? you're on three or four times more - you wouldn't do it, would you?' And I could imagine Humphrys nodding his head in agreement
For a better analysis of how people from all walks of life can stand for and achieve in Parliament, listen to my mate Ian (a Green councillor from Nuneaton) on the rival BBC 5 Live (Rachel Burden show from 0900).Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
What's the Greens' position on MPs pay and benefits and moonlighting?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Best thing Bruce Willis ever did?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Presumably this would be bad news for Bruce in a Green Parliament.Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said her party would "end second jobs for MPs".
Does the Labour proposal really exempt MPs serving as trade union officials? And does it say anything about investment income?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Can't be cheap for Rifkind to maintain a home in Kensington in addition to his place in Inveresk Village near Musselburgh.
I occasionally saw him while walking here, more memorable though was an encounter with another Inveresk resident Clarissa Dickson-Wright who asked myself and my soon to be wife if the toilet rolls on the conveyor at the Tesco till were ours.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Don't keep us in suspense, RobM: were those rolls yours?RobM wrote: ...Clarissa Dickson-Wright who asked myself and my soon to be wife if the toilet rolls on the conveyor at the Tesco till were ours.
This story isn't very edifying but it is pretty small beer compared to the degree to which politicians are in hock to or standing to benefit from the financial and private medical sectors. Channel 4 News isn't the best judge of the significance of a story when they are the ones 'making the news', as the continuity announcer just put it.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
They were technically still Tescos at that point as we hadn't paid for them yet but yes, they were ours.Benjm wrote:Don't keep us in suspense, RobM: were those rolls yours?Originally posted by RobM
This story isn't very edifying but it is pretty small beer compared to the degree to which politicians are in hock to or standing to benefit from the financial and private medical sectors. Channel 4 News isn't the best judge of the significance of a story when they are the ones 'making the news', as the continuity announcer just put it.
Weirdly I'm getting ads in the sidebar for some quilted cludge rolls now.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Well ahead of the policy here. I've long thought that they should beTonTon wrote: What's the Greens' position on MPs pay and benefits and moonlighting?
* employed and salaried linked to a senior Civil Service/ Local Government grade
* restricted from other jobs
* supported by a central secretariat rather than allowed to waste public money 'employing' their family/ friends/loversComment
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The "Straw man" argument
Anything that discourages people other than the already wealthy from becoming MPs is clearly an excellent plan.
I think MPs should be paid lots more. That might attract some more truly outstanding people to the job, rather than the dysfunctional busybodies and failed lawyers/bankers/PR men that go into it now.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
No, trade unions sponsor their constituency parties, I think.ursus arctos wrote:Presumably this would be bad news for Bruce in a Green Parliament.Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said her party would "end second jobs for MPs".
Does the Labour proposal really exempt MPs serving as trade union officials? And does it say anything about investment income?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Can anyone point me to a single example of a Labour MP who works, full-time, as a trade union official?Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Does seem fairly unlikely.
Average wage, no other work or income. Duncan's central secretariat. Bosh.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Even given my jaundiced view of Westminster and its politicians, the sight of two elder statesman of both Party and Parliament, who between them have held 9 offices of state, whoring themselves off like two bit hustlers for a fast buck is really quite something to behold.
How much fucking money do these men need? Rifkind in Parliament for 33 years with all his cabinet posts and Straw for 36 years with his. Tawdry in every sense. Straw, the representative of one of the most deprived constituencies in England and demanding £5k per day and Rifkind complaining he can't live on £67K whilst the current Conservative Secretary of State For Work And Pensions says an individual can live on £53 a week.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
In fairness, Straw is leaving parliament in 2 months time and was quite explicit he would not do any work for the lobbyists until after the election.
His main crime seems to be that he met them in his office in Westminster which is apparently against the rules. And he charges £5k for a speech which sounds almost criminal to me.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
Straw is the epitome of New Labour.
A creepy grasping wee fuck with all the personality of a squashed dog-turd and a conscience to match.Comment
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The "Straw man" argument
St. Croix's posts should be blazoned on billboards across the land.Comment
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