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Gary Lineker has said that UK politicians should be paid more, in order to attract the country’s “brilliant minds” to run for office. He said it is “such an important job” which currently does not “entice” the “great minds”. The basic annual salary of a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons is £84,144, as of April 2022.
The Prime Minister is entitled to an annual salary of £164,080, while top cabinet ministers are paid up to £156,598.
Meanwhile, the median salary for a full-time employee in the UK is £32,280 per year.
But speaking to Times Radio, Mr Lineker said politicians should be paid even more.
However, he acknowledged that such a move might not be voted through parliament.
When asked if the UK would get better politicians if they were paid like footballers, Mr Lineker told Times Radio: “It’s a funny one.
“I mean, you’d probably never get that through Parliament… It’s such an important job.
“I’ve always thought that if we could kind of tempt the really brilliant minds in the country into the roles, rather than perhaps people that are already self-made, or their family’s fortune…
“I don’t think we really, really entice the great minds in the country and probably a bigger salary would, but I don’t think you’d ever get that by.”
“It’s bad enough in football, that’s incredibly tribal. But politics is even more tribal.
“I’m interested in politics…but actually going into politics myself, I would never, never, never, never. No ambition.”
A YouGov poll saw 61 percent of people say that being a surgeon is harder than being Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, 52 percent of people said that being a nurse is harder.
By contrast, 64 percent said that being an investment banker is easier than being Prime Minister, rising to 73 percent for journalists and 81 percent for professional footballers.
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