Green Party calls for 'living wage'

16/10/2008

The Green Party has called for a new 'living wage' for British workers.

Caroline Lucas MP claims many thousands of UK residents are living in poverty and would benefit from a more realistic pay guarantee.

"Every calculation of a living wage that has been done in towns and cities in the UK has found a living wage this year lies above £7 an hour," she said.

By including the "secure margin" needed by families if they were to manage unexpected costs, Ms Lucas estimated most are more than one pound per hour out of pocket.

She added: "The absolute minimum needed for a basic existence, calculated by this approach, shows that the minimum wage falls well short of what's needed."

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, has called on the government to reconsider its current rate, which increased to £5.73 this month.

He suggested: "A more realistic figure would be £6.75 an hour – a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, regardless of age."

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