Bercow's Pay

Following up from this post, I note that Bercow did actually stick to the pay cut organised by his predecessor. Well, good. Although over £140,000 does sound an awful lot for the chair of a glorified debating society. 

But it does make me wonder just why he was so reluctant to reveal this information. Think about it - if you are employed by someone, then they know how much they pay you. They decide your pay after all. They also know how much they pay you in expenses, should you incur any. It seems fair enough that the relationship on pay should be transparent. You know how much you earn, and your employer knows how much they pay you. 

Except in the relationship between MP (employee) and voter (employer). MPs know how much they suck from us like obese leeches earn. Yet if we want to find out how much we pay them, then we need to use the Freedom of Information Act. Or rely on leaks to The Daily Telegraph. We have to fight to get the information we should have anyway in an open democracy. The information that we need to assess our MPs, and see whether they give us value for money, is hidden from us by our employees.

Yet that's it. That is what they are afraid of. They're scared we'll look at, say, John Bercow, and decide he isn't worth £141,647. They're scared we'll say that he isn't even worth £40,000. 

Transparency derails their gravy train. That's why they are so scared of it.