Jones calls for end to charade on MLAs pay

Speaking on the Secretary of State’s decision to delay making a final decision on MLAs pay, to ‘consult with the parties first,’ UKIP spokesman, Cllr Jones said: “I am not aware of any other business, organisation, sector or jurisdiction where full-time pay for a (just about) part-time job is the status-quo.

“In these tough times locally, many nurses, community workers, tradesmen, temp and retail staff across Northern Ireland are scraping by on lower incomes by working full time 9-5 jobs,” said the Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Councillor.

“Yet we are faced with the warped situation here where we’ve no functioning Assembly or Executive - yet ninety MLAs remain and are handsomely paid full-time salaries and expenses; despite not carrying out the most basic function(s) of their job for roughly fourteen months.

“MLAs have spent just 46 minutes inside the Assembly Chamber they were elected to in the last fourteen months. It is unjustifiable for them to continue to receive full salaries and expenses.”

Councillor Jones added: “We are calling on the Secretary of State to bring an end to this dithering and to take immediate action by ending the charade of full MLA pay for very little work.

“Furthermore, we believe Her Majesty’s Government should call time on this flawed, failed and expensive version of devolution which has long since run its course.”