More Moonlighting MPs

The newspapers reported at the weekend that David Miliband - the Labour MP and brother of Labour leader - Ed Miliband - is to be paid £70,000 for three days work.

But I feel it is my public duty to point out that this figure is understated and - therefore - incorrect.

Because while David Miliband may well be getting more than £20,000 a day for advising a venture capital company in California - VantagePoint - he will also be drawing a salary for his day job as a Labour MP.

Now I don't know whether this makes him a 'producer' or 'predator' - in terms of the language  used by brother Ed - to describe the two faces of modern day capitalism.

For my money David has to be a predator because he is thumbing his nose at the people who elected him - along with many other MPs in the House of Commons - including the former prime Minister and Labour leader, Gordon Brown.

What I don't get is that these people see themselves as good socialists who - at times - rail against the curse of unemployment and the 'something for nothing' society.

Yet they seem to see no contradiction in operating effectively as part-time MPs - free to swan around the world as it suits them - while continuing to be paid £65,738 from the public purse - plus generous expenses of course.

So while David Miliband jets over to California for 5 days (including his travelling time) - he will actually be getting paid his week's salary as an MP - which amounts to £1,264.19p or about two and times the average weekly wage.

The obvious thing for David Miliband and Gordon Brown to do is to go off in pursuit of their new careers outside Westminster - yet for some reason they cling on to their  parliamentary seats.

Like some kind of safety blanket - as if they lack the confidence to stand on their own two feet.

The amazing thing is that the Labour party puts up with what's going - while having lots to say about greedy bankers - and the need to spend public money wisely.