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There should be a statutory ban on anyone's being paid more than the Prime Minister. As there should be on paying any employee more than ten times what you pay any of your other employees, with the whole public sector functioning as a single entity for this purpose, and with its median wage fixed at the median wage in the private sector. Possibly, that median would do as the salary for MPs. Certainly, it would not go down as a result of this measure if, as urgently needs to happen, the contracting out of public services were discontinued and all such work were brought back in house.

Leading us to the definition of the public sector. At the very least, it includes the many politically well-connected companies dependent on public contracts. It includes the companies owned or controlled by Academy sponsors and handed lucrative contracts, met entirely out of the public purse, by Academies with, since they purport to be private schools, no obligation to put out to tender. And it includes the bailed-out banks. At the very least.

In fact, there is no private sector. At least, not as that term is ordinarily employed. Not in any advanced country, and not since the War at the latest. Take out bailouts or the permanent promise of them, take out central and local government contracts, take out planning deals and other sweeteners, and take out the guarantee of customer bases by means of public sector pay and the benefits system, and what is there left? They are all as dependent on public money as any teacher, nurse or road sweeper. Everyone is. With public money come public responsibilities. Including public accountability for how those responsibilities are or are not being met.