At 86, Queen works more than British MPs

June 3, 2012 | Politics | Written by

London, June 3: In what should be a wake-up call for British parliamentarians, 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II has worked far more days this year than any member of parliament, the Daily Express reported.

Sunday’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on the Thames river was her 80th day of official engagements in 2012. MPs, in contrast, have been in Westminster for only 72 days.

The British daily reported that in the middle of a two-week half-term break, MPs have had 38 weekdays off so far this year – almost double the holiday allowance for most people in the country.

By the end of this year, according to the parliamentary calendar, MPs will have been at Westminster for 151 days and have had 110 weekdays and bank holidays off. Once weekends are taken into account, they will have been away from Westminster for 215 days, 59 percent of the year.

IANS