Semi-Partisan Politics

So last week there was an announcement from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) which puzzled many and angered most. IPSA are responsible for setting rates of pay and pensions and things like that for Members of Parliament, and their chairman has recommended MP’s see a pay rise of up to £10,000 – meaning some politicians will be receiving something in the vicinity of £75,000 per year. He cited their ‘unique contribution to society’ as being a reason for why they should see a pay rise at a higher level than others in the public sector; yes their contribution is unique in some terms, but the merit of their actions leaves room for debate. As someone who is studying politics and potentially looking at working in the field in the future, I have given a  fair amount of thought to how pay scales of politicians should be decided – and…