Originally Posted by Livia

The problem with imposing massive pay cuts on MPs or on the House of Lords would be that only the very rich would do it. An MPs salary (I know we're talking about the House of Lords, but I'm using this as an example) is a fraction of what someone with a decent degree and plenty of drive would be able to earn in the City, for instance. The Chief Executive of my local district council gets a salary in excess of four times what the local MP earns. And I know they get expenses, but a big chunk of those expenses go on staff wages and office costs, postage, IT... a constituency office is responsible for 90-100,000 people and it's always busy, so having a quality staff is essential.

If someone who isn't from a wealthy background goes into politics there has to be a decent financial incentive or we go back to the time when only the independently wealthy went into parliament. And really... that's the last thing we need.