Poll supports MP pay discipline

ePolitix.com readers have recommended that MPs restrict themselves to a 1.9 per cent pay rise this year.

A survey of readers conducted this week found strong support for the government's preferred, below-inflation option, set to be voted on in the Commons today.

Nearly half of the 672 respondents, 48.2 per cent, support the limit, while a further 28.1 per cent thought it should be lower still.

In contrast just 12.1 per cent favoured the 2.56 per cent settlement recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body and only 6.4 per cent felt it should be higher.

Terror

On the day that the government's Counter-Terrorism Bill was being published, the poll also found little backing for an extension to the maximum time limit for pre-charge detention.

The most popular option among respondents was a retention of the current 28-day limit, with 39.6 per cent favouring the status quo.

Reducing the limit to less than 28 days was proposed by 28.6 per cent, while the 42 days floated by the government was backed by just 10.1 per cent.

There was even less support for the prime minister's initially preferred 56 days (six per cent), or the more than 56 days put forward by his predecessor Tony Blair (4.3 per cent).

An alternative solution was favoured by 4.8 per cent and 4.9 per cent said there should not be a limit.

Performance

However Gordon Brown will be boosted by the news that respondents felt he had performed the best of all three party leaders since the return of Parliament after the Christmas recess.

The prime minister was chosen by 40.3 per cent, Conservative leader David Cameron by 35.1 per cent and, in a blow to his infant leadership, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg by 24.6 per cent.

The Westminster village was less impressed by the performance of work and pensions secretary Peter Hain.

Asked whether he will be forced to resign due to his failure to register more than £100,000 of donations to his Labour deputy leadership campaign last year, almost half of respondents, 49.9 per cent, thought he will, although 40.9 per cent were confident that he will remain in the cabinet.

Hillary Clinton was the overwhelming favourite to become the next president of the United States, with 59.5 predicting a victory for the former first lady. Fellow Democrat Barack Obama was second on 20.9 per cent and Republican frontrunner John McCain third with 11 per cent.

Cannabis

Looking ahead to the findings of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs later this year, which has been asked by Brown to review the issue, respondents were divided on the whether cannabis should be reclassified.

The single most popular choice with 40.9 per cent was a retention of the current legal status of Class C.

However marginally more favoured either reclassifying the drug to Class B (32.3 per cent) or Class A (8.3 per cent).

And in the week that the Energy Bill began its passage through Parliament, nuclear was the most popular choice for which power source the government should develop as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels, with 32.4 per cent support.

But alternative energy sources had more backing in total, with 24.6 per cent supporting tidal power, 24.1 per cent for wind turbines, 9.8 per cent for solar panels and 2.4 per cent for biomass.

The online poll of 672 ePolitix subscribers was conducted from 21 – 23 January. For more information, please contact dodspolling@dods.co.uk