The Scottish edition of the Times carries the true cost of ALex Salmond's true cost to the taxpayer.
Since he was elected to Holyrood in 2007 he has been entitled to his full MPs salary, despite only attending on 15 occasions, one third of his MSPs salary, which he donates to charity and his First Minister's salary. An annual income of £144,990. If he had stood down as the MP for Banff and Buchan in 2007, he would have be able to claim the full MSPs salary as well as his First Ministers salary. However, including his charitable donation by not doing so he has cost the tax payer an additional £81,398 in salary so far. Taking away his donations the First Minster he still pocketed £24,292 more than he would have got.
As he intends to step down at the General Election he will be entitled to his resettlement grant, how much more resettling does he have to do. This is a full years MP salary or £64,766. Whilst he is also getting his pension contributions as MSP and First Minster he will also accrue £56,000 extra for his three years as an MP from 2007. Net effect from salary and pension contributions is £146,000.
I think the main thing about that article is that if he steps down while Parliament is still sitting, which could be the week before dissolution, he will not qualify for the resettlement allowance.
ReplyDeleteI think we should put huge pressure on him to do that. If he refuses to stand down and cause a by-election, then the least he can do is to save us the small fortune of a completely unnecessary resettlement allowance.
Fancy starting a petition?
Pity you were not jumping up and down when Jim Wallace was an MP and a MSP.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you just forgot about Wallace in your rush to be even handed?
Typical its only wrong when the other side do it.
P.s. Did your Labour coalition pals ask you to forget Donald Dewar as well?
Sorry I forgot, Wallace also had three jobs, he was a wee pretendy deputy First Minister.
ReplyDeleteIn the interests of balance, can you tell us how much of his three salaries Wallace collected.
How much did he give to charity?
How much did he receive in resettlement grant?
And what were his pension contributions?
Still we are secure in the knowledge that there will never be a Lib Dem First Minister.