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The truths they don't want you to read....

Saturday, March 22, 2008

MSPs and booze

Further to my previous post, let's start the New Puritanism of the anti-booze crusade by starting a bit closer to home.

Indeed, let's start right at home.

Start by closing the (subsidised?) bars in the Scottish Parliament.

Then to set an example to the rest of us, all MSPs will have a breathalyser unit built into the desk, so before they can vote they need to provide a sample. Unless they are under the limit they don't get to vote.

Any MSPs who fail the test are to be publicly 'named and shamed' and suspended without pay for a week.

Not hard to set an example is it? What are you waiting for?

A back bench MSPA typical back bench MSP

Update 11:04. And connect the breathalyser to a lie detector unit and on to an electric chair.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I somehow think our MSP is a typhoo and rich tea man.

Anonymous said...

How on earth would you know 9.25? I take it you know him well?

Anonymous said...

Darn - I had him down as a hardcore absinthe drinker, washed down with Special brew and super strength Spar Cider

Most MSP's seem to have calmed down on the drinking front since Lord Watson' arson incident a couple of years ago.

What's he up to these days? Probably got a job in fire prevention for Chubb!

Anonymous said...

Its Monday, and I am just reading Saturdays Press and Journal (page 21).

I certainly think someone has been drinking! I am perfectly sober so (hopefully) it is the journalists or statisticans.

It claims that a new report by the National Office of Statistics shows how much people are talking home in their weekly pay packets. The Western Isles ranks 5th in the national table, out of at least 31. That is 5th best - not worst.

So are we really that rich Angus or is this just you doing everyones tax returns?!

The anti-windfarm brigade have been arguing we are not as poor as we are lead to believe, and are told by the Emperors at the Comhairle, for some time now. Are they right after all - god forbid.

Angus said...

The P&J report is here, but I cannot find the original survey at the ONS, so I don't know what has been surveyed.

The report implies a take-home pay of £22,796 in the Western Isles, which is a gross of over £30,000.

I suspect sampling errors, or that the survey relates only to employees and is not an average over the entire population.

Anonymous said...

Angus,

I'm no tax accountant, but does a net salary of £22,796 equate to a gross salary of over £30,000?

By my rough calculation, a gross salary of £27,476 would result in £4,679 of tax and a net salary of £22,796:

£0 tax (0%) on first £5,035 of salary
£215 tax (10%) on next £2,150 of salary
£4,464 tax (22%) on final £20,291 of salary

As a tax professional, I'm sure you're figure of over £30,000 is not wrong, though.

Angus said...

Despite repeated searches, I still cannot identify the OS report, so any help will be gratefully accepted.

Anon 7:03 - You are using the old rates.

First £5,225 tax free. Next £2,230 @ 10%. Balance at 22%. All earnings over £5,225 are liable to NI.

This gives a gross of £31,050 to give a net of £22,796. Plus employers NI of £3,306.

Anonymous said...

So much for the islands being on its knees Cllr Dobson

Look at all the villas (sorry croft houses) springing up around the poverty stricken islands