Of course, the current systemgrew out of parliament being scared to put up their own wages in the early 90s because they feared a public backlash (basically, in a similar situation to now, the Tories knew they were on their last legs and didn't want to make it worse), so they came up with other ways to recompense themselves.
(
Wasp Box like a nervous random stranger at a glory hole,
Wed 20 May 2009, 9:52,
archived)