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National service for MPs
NOW THE debate on constitutional reform has begun, may I offer a few, briefly expressed, ideas.
Would-be MPs should be required to complete two years' national service, not along military lines, but as a means of understanding the lives of voters. Periods of say, two to six months, would be spent in each of a variety of jobs.
Each period and each job type would attract a certain number of points, but the 'mix and match' programme would be a matter of individual choice.
For example, three months in one of the armed services with some of that time in a possible combat zone, as a reporter, photographer, first airier: two months on a fishing trawler or as a farm labourer: three months on a production line, if we still have one; night work stacking shelves in a supermarket; nursing auxiliary in an A and E unit – and so on. Certain types of work would be excluded, all forms of gambling for instance and certain forms of banking.
The guiding principle would be hands-on experience of service to the people, with more points for the tougher jobs. Only the rate for the job would be paid. This might well bring first- hand experience of the value of the national minimum wage.
If, at the end of the two years, the participant had reached the target total of points required, he/she could be placed on a register of potential candidates.
As for MPs' pay structure, there must first be fair and adequate expenses for doing the full-time job of an MP . As to pay, there should be no link with other countries' systems, least of all in the European Union: MEPs' salaries and expenses are frankly scandalous.
If they are true to their shared belief in the value of the market deciding key issues, our two conservative parties should apply the doctrine to their own pay. (It's curious how there is a great and chronic shortage of plumbers but not of would-be MPS.)
There would need to be differentials in place for specific jobs – decided by a Job Evaluation Panel? And perhaps a merit scheme could be introduced to reward worthy individuals, possibly through a system similar to that now operated by local people who can put forward for honours consideration a person of their choice.
It is high time that the gravy train mindset be totally derailed.
Eric Armstrong
Godward Road
New Mills
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Weather for Buxton
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
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