THIS weeks Redditch Standard letters.
‘How on earth can Joe Public cope with that as well as the sky rocketing inflation?’
OUR MP has defended the independently awarded 2.9 per cent increase she will receive in April as ‘average for the public sector’.
It is nonetheless an increase of £2,440 for MPs.
Imagine an average young couple with a £200K mortgage on a two-year fixed rate which is coming to an end and they need a new mortgage soon.
It will cost them (thanks to Liz Truss and Co) an extra £400 per month – £4,800 EXTRA per annum, which is double the MPs’ award.
How on earth can Joe Public cope with that as well as the sky rocketing inflation?
It really is a case of the Tories looking after the rich whilst the masses can continue to foot the bill.
The masses don’t have the offshore accounts like Michelle Mone which magically appear with £29million in courtesy of a PPE contract given to them.
Nor do the masses have the audacity of Nadhim Zahawi and his shenanigans with HMRC over tax – and he was Chancellor!
Not to mention how many PMs we’ve had.
Add to this the staggering amount of money wasted on HS2 to date and the reluctance to further tax the energy companies which continue to post record gigantic profits whilst our energy bills have at least tripled.
How after 13 years do we still have a shameless, immoral, shambolic Tory Government
Wake up UK voters!
Paul Geordie Smith
Redditch
‘They are totally out of touch with the realities of the normal ‘hard working families’
ON AVERAGE MPs cost the Taxpayer over £300,000- a-year and many Tory MPs take on second jobs!
They are totally out of touch with the realities of the normal ‘hard working families’ they claim to represent! .
These MPs have decimated public services and brought the NHS to its knees with Tory budget cuts and have also resisted paying public sector staff a decent salary for what they do!
Never mind – anybody suffering from the cost-of-living crisis can always ‘take on more hours or move to a better paid job’ – Rachel MacLean on Sky News, May 2022. The MP is being disingenuous, mentioning meals at the House of Commons, which as stated on your page are in fact heavily subsidised.
A total lack of self-awareness or empathy for the ever-increasing number of people having to use foodbanks – although according to her ministerial colleague Lee Anderson this is because they are ‘unable to manage their money’.
I assume Mrs Maclean will receive more than the MP salary as a Minister – according to my calculations about £108,000 per annum – and has the benefit of a very generous pension scheme and severance payment when she leaves office.
MPs can also claim for council tax and utility bills on second homes used for the purpose of carrying out their duties so there is often a financial incentive to move and live in the constituency
The last financial year for which figures are available show Mrs Maclean claimed just over £218,000 in expenses – average for MPs was around £204,000.
This included £162,400 for office expenses and staff which seems a bit excessive.
She also declared an additional £35,000 in donations towards her expenses as an MP.
It is definitely a different World on Planet Westminster.
Mrs Maclean has done some very good work in respect of the Alex but the problem I have is whether it is good value for money and does she ‘work exceptionally hard’ for her constituents or for herself and her career?
As part of the loyalist ‘Payroll Vote’ she virtually always supports the Government – even to allow water companies to continue to discharge raw sewage into our rivers and seas – as recently as January 26.
I struggle to understand who or what she represents.
There are many downsides to being an MP with misogyny in the House of Commons and the level of abuse directed particularly at female MPs online is totally unacceptable.
There is also the public scrutiny and annoying criticism from people like me!
I hope our local MPs will rise to your challenge and donate their salary increase to charities but I am not too optimistic although Savid Javid may be the best bet to come up trumps?
No pressure!
I Welch
Redditch
Our MP claims more in expenses, than most workers earn in a year,
MOST public sector workers work hard and would love a £2,440 a year pay rise.
But according to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Rachel MacLean in 2022 has also claimed personal expenses of, £18,503.36 for rent between January 2022 to September 2022 (£2,069.17 per month) and, between 2022 and 2023, £512.55 for incurred mileage, £354.10 for parking and £1,974.35 for train travel.
Our MP claims more in expenses, than most workers earn in a year, but she pays for her own TV licence, so that’s OK!
T Jones
Southcrest
Redditch
‘I feel this comment reflects the behaviour of this Conservative government.’
I FEEL Rachel Maclean’s defence of MP’s pay rise is confirmation of how out of touch she is with her constituents and to make personal references to council employees’ salary to justify this rise unacceptable.
I feel this comment reflects the behaviour of this Conservative government.
Doesn’t Rachel Maclean see what we all see that nurses, paramedics, teachers and social care employees are working exceptionally hard but the government refuses to negotiate a reasonable pay increase.
These are all professional people who have qualifications in their field of work and are having to strike to preserve customer safety and wellbeing.
I am a pensioner and have the time to hear Redditch constituents’ support of the strikes, and how the increased cost-of-living is impacting on their lives.
Perhaps if Rachel Maclean spent time talking with her constituents instead of arriving for photoshoots connected with her achievements, she might have a better understanding
Yes, Rachel Maclean might work hard but so do many other people who do not receive this remuneration.
At this time of financial hardship for all, with the exception of the very wealthy I feel that it is morally wrong that MP’s have accepted this pay increase
Anonymous
Headless Cross
‘It’s a little worrying to have such essential information incorrectly stated’
I SAW that Mr Isherwood thinks the new library is on one floor.
Can I correct him please (the writing on the plans is very small, so it may be a genuine mistake).
The new library is on three floors, the lower ground floor is mostly archives (much reduced as some is going to Worcester), the children’s and large text are on the ground floor and the adult’s nonfiction and other facilities are on the first floor.
Strangely, the promised police help desk has vanished from the plan so looks like, when we are mugged in the town centre, we will have to run to Windsor Road for help. I also now can’t find any computers.
Seems like they have become another meeting room.
It’s a little worrying to have such essential information incorrectly stated so close to the end of the consultation.
I hope any consultation forms in favour of demolition completed after the last Standard was published will be ignored as having been completed biased by incorrect information.
I note from last week’s letters page that in fact the whole consultation process was incorrectly followed and the whole thing needs to be begun again with alternative suggestions available ie what happens if we don’t move the library with the pros and cons set out.
Can we now have a proper consultation, please?
Margot Bish
Abbeydale
‘All that nodding in agreement must be tough on the neck muscles.’
I READ your article about Rachel Maclean’s pay rise with interest. I absolutely believe her when she says it is a hard job.
It’s hard work being told what to do, what to say and what to think. And its even harder work when you have to parrot out the party line excuses for the decisions you are told to make.
All that nodding in agreement must be tough on the neck muscles.
It’s hard work keeping up with who the current Prime Minister is, and it’s hard work reinventing reasons why he or she is the best leader ever.
It’s hard work making promises of funding for Redditch which never quite happen. Levelling up mostly involves knocking things down at the moment. I am sure it’s very hard work ignoring residents who don’t like it.
Rachel Maclean should have her extra £2,000 because there’s a cost-of-living crisis and it’s hard scraping by on £84,000 (plus £31,000 for being a minister).
Sharon Harvey
Redditch Labour Councillor
‘One cannot defend the indefensible.’
PAUL Isherwood’s comments, possibly intended as a diversionary tactic from the real issue, are illustrative of why so many Conservative supporters are disillusioned with the party locally.
Whilst he repudiates affiliation to any party, as he is married to the Conservative Mayor one does not have to be a Nostradamus to predict he is unlikely to be hostile to the incumbent regime.
Early 80s (I was young then) and May 1997 aside, I have always voted for and argued in favour of, the Conservatives, but locally I abandoned them over the appropriation of Ipsley meadow and their taking away much-valued and well-used recreational green space to use as a cemetery.
They were committing an irreparable error then and they are doing the same over the library.
One cannot defend the indefensible.
The many Conservatives who are opposed to the loss of parkland and the destruction of a bespoke library are exhibiting the solid good sense I have always associated with that party. Fiscal irresponsibility and vanity projects used to be the preserve of far-left zealots.
Alas, it is now the Conservatives, certainly locally, and probably nationally, who are the irresponsible party.
K Wass
Matchborough
‘If it carries on as people won’t travel to a shabby shopping centre.’
I HAVE lived here for many years and the town centre over the last few years has got worse with shop after shop disappearing inside and out.
Even the market that was has been reduced to a few indoor stalls, which I’ve been told if anyone leases the shop, they are in the then so-called market will be finished for good.
The Kingfisher was to get funding to revamp the centre but even that has been revoked we will end up with nothing if it carries on as people won’t travel to a shabby shopping centre.
Dave Lilley
Redditch
‘As the national charity that supports public libraries, this concerns us.’
I WANT to remind people that yesterday (Friday, February 24) was the last day for the people of Redditch to have their say on the plan to demolish their library and move the service away to the town hall.
We have been unable to find any evidence that people have ever been offered the option simply to leave it as it is.
Nor has there been (until the past few days) any sign that consultation forms exist – even inside the library itself.
As the national charity that supports public libraries, this concerns us.
Forms can be picked up in the library, or visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/redditchlibraryconsultation
Laura Swaffield
The Library Campaign
EDITORS COMMENT
FRIDAY was a very poignant day and marks exactly a year since the start of the war in Ukraine.It is still unbelievable that so much destruction, devastation and loss of life has been caused by just one man and his warped misguided ideology.
As we remember the dead, we must also continue to help those fleeing the war-torn country and the brave people fighting for its freedom.
And most of all we must hope and pray for a peaceful solution soon.
We Welcome Your Letters…..
What pressing issues do you feel need addressing in Redditch, Alcester or Studley? Send us your views to [email protected]
