As a local councillor I will have to declare an interest in this one, but patently I think the answer is no. The vast majority of politicians of all political parties are in politics because they want to give something back to society. I am not saying that politicians don't enjoy doing what they do and that the small amount of power or increased local public profile doesn't appeal the vanity of some, but they'd been fools if they were in it for the money.
Which is why the 'Cash for Honours', Peter Hain, Harriet Harman, Wendy Alexander and Derek Conway scandals are so depressing. While politicians aren't in it for the money political parties need funding and politicians need to live. While I for one am against state funding of parties, there does need to be a new honesty that accepts that parties need money and by putting too many constraints on 'legitimate' funding is bound to lead to shady outcomes. In terms of politician's pay we need to accept that politicians need to be able to live - we do not not want to return to the situation where only those with private incomes can afford to take on the role, which it is why some politicians, especially full time politicians like MPs and leaders of large councils need to be paid the going rate (which I reckon for an MP is probably close to £100k).
However I am not advocating that everyone should join the gravy train, for those of us who can hold down a full-time job as well an elected position the current system of a small payment to defray costs is entirely adequate. And most importantly we need to take the sleaze out of politics so expenses should be claimed in the same way as the rest of populations has to do it - by submitting claims with receipts. And for MPs the ludicrous state of affairs which means that all the money needed to support an MP is paid to him personally has to end - general expenses like the paying of office staff and postage costs should be done by House of Commons rather than individual MPs
