Does Google Chief's bashfulness prove pay at the top is skewed.

[estebanrey]

When it comes to pay disclosure, I've always been of the opinion that if you have nothing to hide, why not be open about what you earn?

Matt Brittin's inability, or rather shy refusal, to state his basic salary at the Public Accounts Committee today can only be interpreted as him feeling that most people would be staggered by the amount.

If pay was truly meritocratic, rather than rising exponentially, then we would all understand that people with better jobs than us get paid more. Afterall it's not like Communism is a popular ideology here.

So do you agree his embarrassment was due to the fact that deep down, in his heart, he knew non one is actually "worth" what he earns?

 

[Danthus]

It was comedy gold watching him squirm.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Why is it any of our business?

 

[wnb]

Why is it any of our business?

That's what I thought.

 

[drs101]

I agree if he was a public servant then yes otherwise not our business what a private company want to pay people, they should however pay full tax as should he and i bet he doesnt.

 

[Edrof]

Why is it any of our business?

 

[doofer]

I'd like to know how much the BBC gets paid for constantly advertising/promoting Facebook, Apple, Twitter and to a much lesser extent Google.

 

[Duke]

Why is it any of our business?

It's "morally wrong" or something.

 

[Puzzled]

Why is it any of our business?

^This^

Anyway his "salary" as in PAYE will be above board and taxed, it's all the benefits and bonuses that slip past.

 

[Dave M]

When it comes to pay disclosure, I've always been of the opinion that if you have nothing to hide, why not be open about what you earn?

A jew in 1930's germany, a muslim at a trump rally, a moderate on the internet - all these things are not intrinsically bad but you would be foolish or brave to open up about it.

I remember a journalist asking people who the rich were, and it didn't matter how far up the scale you went, the answer was someone who had a lot more than the person they asked.

It's all relative. There's quite simply not a single person in the UK who is not 'rich' by global standards yet you don't see anyone on minimum wage comparing downwards when complaining how unfair the world is.

 

[The Running Man]

Any publically listed company should be able to show the top layer and board remuneration.

 

[Rroff]

Looked to me more like he is relatively well paid and didn't want to seem vulgar (not that it would have made much odds) rather than not knowing roughly what he is paid.

 

[Stretch]

You can't critisise high pay, it's a privte matter between employer and employee., and it's daft to only focus on those in high profile positions. If the public is concerned about hight pay in general, they should vote to increase higher rate tax... but they don't.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Outrageous question and completely irrelevant. She had no right to ask it at all.

 

[George Hincapie]

Outrageous question and completely irrelevant. She had no right to ask it at all.

She can ask what she likes and it isn't outrageous. It is irrelevant though.

 

[Housey]

He should have said "I earn loads more than yow council worker".

 

[Rroff]

He should have said "I earn loads more than yow council worker".

"Tell me how much you earn and I'll tell you how many multiples of it my salary is"

 

[RyanF]

For the same reason you don't ask a woman her age; it is a private matter.

 

[Deleted member 66701]

Why is it any of our business?

Why is it not?

 

[Caged]

Why is it any of our business?

It's our business because Google have claimed that the London subsidiary essentially carries out basic administrative tasks. Looking at the salaries of the people employed there can go a long way to rubbishing that claim.