Politicians Should Lead By Example By Cutting Unnecessary Perks

We are going through a time of belt tightening up and down the country. These times of recession have us all worried about the impact of the recession. It is only right that politicians should lead by example in times of rising unemployment and economic turbulence. This is why I was pleased to see that David Cameron is planning to cut back on Ministerial perks, including a 5% cut in Ministerial salaries.

I blogged last week about how Ministerial cars were an extravagance of little real benefit that cost us a fortune. The same can be said of so many Ministerial privileges. It is quite wrong that the political class are not tigtening their belts at the same time as the rest of us. It is quite wrong that Ministers live in a land of perks and special privileges that are unnecessary and unaffordable.

If we are serious about changing politics and changing the way we do things, then we have to be serious about making sure that taxpayers' money is spent wisely. Extravagant and unnecessary use of public money is utterly unjustifiable. Perhaps the Labour Councillors who awarded themselves a 20% allowance increase at the same time as unemployment increased by 90% in North Durham should take time to reflect on the need for politicians to lead by example.