I earn more than the Prime Minister, admits BBC political presenter Andrew Neil
Host of Daily Politics and This Week said he would be happy for the public to know his salary
A BBC political presenter has admitted he earns more than the Prime Minister – but argues he is worth it given how many programmes he does.
Andrew Neil said he would be happy for his salary to be revealed, as long as his workload is also taken into consideration.
The broadcaster addressed the recent request by the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee that BBC stars who earn more than the Theresa May’s £143,000 salary should be forced to publish their salaries.
He told : "I have no problem with that at all.
“I'd only put in one caveat, which is that next to the salary they should put the number of programmes we do every year."
Mr Neil, the former editor of the Sunday Times, confirmed his name would appear on a list of those earning more than the PM if one was published.
The Daily Politics, Sunday Politics and This Week host added: "But if you divide my pay by the number of shows I do, I'm pretty far down the pecking order.
"I do almost 180 programmes a year - more than almost anybody else in the political sphere."
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He said his BBC work schedule matches the parliamentary calendar, “Which means I do five or six programmes a week when parliament’s sitting and none when it isn’t,” he said.
“We came down to our house in Grasse, in the south of France, in July and I’m not back until Prime Minister’s Questions on 7 September.”
The Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee last week said there is "no good reason" for performers, presenters and executives to "hide" their pay if they earn more than the Prime Minister.
Acting committee chairman Damian Collins said it is "disingenuous" for the BBC to claim it needs confidentiality to prevent talent poaching by rival channels.
Elsewhere in the interview Mr Neil, 67, said he "surprised" himself by getting married last year to Susan Nilsson, an engineer.
He said that "life hasn't actually changed at all" since their wedding in August because they were "used to each other" after a five-year relationship.