When is a pay rise just a cock-up?

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I am reading reports of the pay rise for MPs and presume they are well informed; these things usually are.

I am one of the few who has argued MPs should have a pay rise - but I said on clear condition that they were not allowed second jobs (a point I note Ed Miliband has come out in favour of).

That necessary condition has not happened. Instead we get a situation where some logical expenses - like the cost of a meal when working late - are abolished whilst pensions and termination payments are cut and pay is increased with a claim being made that overall this is reasonably revenue neutral.

To which my response is, why do it then? This, in that case, has no policy objective inherent in it, does not achieve an economic goal, will not diversify parliament but will cause massive public resentment.

That comes as close to a policy cock-up as you can get. So much for the wisdom of independent panels of advisers.


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