Is it right that Ex PMs can claim £££££££££££s?

[Rheghead]

We are constantly told that this Government has to cut the deficit by making cutbacks on services, so why doesn't the Government tighten its belt on paying out Maggie, Major and Blair on £hundreds of thousands for 'Ex-PM duties?

It is certainly a case of 'do as I say rather than do as I do.'

Can we take this Government seriously at handling the economy when they let this happen?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15486792

[weezer 316]

Ridiculous. Scrap it or put them on the payroll as trade ambasadors or something and make them earn it.

[theone]

For me, it depends.

We could stop these people and their duties, in the same way we could close embassies abroad and reduce diplomats.

It's just a matter of finding the balance between cost and benefit.

[Aaldtimer]

For me, these are the pariahs who should be targetted to reduce their "benefits", utterly ridiculious that the state should be paying these millionaires anything!

[sandyr1]

Plus they get huge fees for Public Speaking.....
But then...Singers and other Artists were getting approx $1,000,000 for performing for the Gadhafi's.....One of our 'starlets' did a jobbie for them for $1M, and when she wa s found out she gave it to charity!! People of recognition get very large sums to 'strutt their stuff'!

[Duncansby]

So on the one hand we have Cameron's Big Society encouraging more volunteering and greater philanthropy and on the other ex-MPs are given hundreds' of thousands for walking about, waving and saying a few words! There's definately something wrong there!

[sandyr1]

Of course there is but you/we allow this to continue.
If people took some control of their own lives and got together, they could do something about...and don't start with the Facebook Campaign!
There are two reasons that people are so wishy washy over these things..
1. They are so busy trying to make ends meet....just surviving
2. They don`t know what to do.
It is starting now with the `Occupy Wall Street`, which has spread across North America.
People have power they just don`t know how to use it!