Total Politics and Iain Dale - the top 30 blogging MPs

So, another day, another list from Total Politics, in association with Iain Dale.

Although I am hooked, and ready to order my copy of the Total Politics Guide to Political Blogging.

So, here is the list of the top 30 MPs blogs as voted for by more than 1,500 people who took part and voted in the Total Politics Annual blog poll.

Well done to Lynne Featherstone MP (8), Willie Rennie MP (11), John Hemming MP (15), Steve Webb MP (17), Nick Clegg MP (18), John Barrett MP (22) and Adrian Sanders MP (25) for all getting onto the list this year.

A big congratulations to Tom Harris MP for getting the number one slot.

Labour Ministers’ £1.4m ‘Golden Goodbyes’

When MPs are appointed as government ministers they get an extra salary (£78,356 if they go into the Cabinet and £40,646 if just a minister) and pension in addition to the MPs salary. When they are subsequently fired in a reshuffle, or forced to leave under a cloud or just simply resign, they get a severance payment equivalent to one quarter of their final salary, provided they do not take another ministerial appointment within three months.

Nearly 100 ex-ministers have benefited from these golden handouts. High profile beneficiaries include Peter Mandelson (twice), Charles Clarke, Alan Milburn, David Blunkett, Peter Hain, Margaret Beckett, Estelle Morris (twice), Lord Sainsbury, and the recently resigned James Purnell, Hazel Blears and Caroline Flint.

Since Labour came to power this has amounted to nearly £1.4million. It is generally outrageous that some of these ministers have therefore been rewarded for failure!

These figures have been uncovered by the Liberal Democrats, well done to Steve Webb MP for uncovering these figures.