Top 10 highest paid politicians in the world

You have heard this before, scandalous politicians, corrupted politicians, mean politicians and sleeping politicians. But above it all, there is nothing like a scandal involving porn films claimed on Commons expenses to focus attention on the pay and perks enjoyed, sorry earned, by our public servants.

Even before Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary of Britain, was forced to apologise for her husband’s blue movies there had been calls for the whole system to be overturned. The committee on standards in public life which has promised to report on MP pay and expenses by the end of the year is under pressure to do something radical.

Whenever MPs come under attack over pay they are quick to argue that compared to executives in the private and public sector they are not particularly well paid.

With the G20 leaders in the country we thought it was worth getting a snapshot of how much the highest paid presidents and prime ministers around the world earn. For comparison’s sake all earnings have been converted into dollars. It also shows basic annual salary only, not the expenses claimed on top.

So, where does our own Gordon Brown stand?

1. Lee Hsien Loong – Singapore

Salary in dollars – $2.47 million

Salary in local currency – S$3.76 million

2. Donald Tsang Yum-Kuen – Hong Kong

Salary in dollars – $516,000

Salary in local currency – HK$4 million

3. Barack Obama – United States

Salary in dollars – $400,000

4. Brian Cowen – Ireland

Salary in dollars – $341,000

Salary in local currency – €257,000

5. Nicolas Sarkozy – France

Salary in dollars – $318,000

Salary in local currency – €240,000

6. Angela Merkel – Germany

Salary in dollars – $303,000

Salary in local currency – €228,000

7. Gordon Brown – UK

Salary in dollars – $279,000

Salary in local currency – £194,250

8. Stephen Harper – Canada

Salary in dollars – $246,000

Salary in local currency – C$311,000

9. Taro Aso – Japan

Salary in dollars – $243,000

Salary in local currency – Y24 million

10. Kevin Rudd – Australia

Salary in dollars – $229,000

Salary in local currency – A$330,000

From the above fold, the leaders who enjoyed the benefits are Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore and Brian Cowen of Ireland who not only appeared in this Top 10 highest paid leaders in the world, but also have less headache in governing their country due to smaller Cabinet and population. Figure that.