Although it is no surprise at least it is now official - Newham’s workers are among the worst paid in the country.

Figures released by the union GMB have revealed that the borough’s hard working people earn the second lowest wages in London at �29.518. The UK average is �32,65, meaning that Newham’s workers earn just 90.4 per cent of the UK average.

The borough still fared better than Barking & Dagenham which had the lowest gross average earnings in the capital of �28,439 or 87.1 per cent of the UK gross average in 2011 of �32,659

The figures are based on the annual survey of hours and earnings for 2011 from the Office of National Statistics and show that all the other London boroughs have higher than the average UK income.

Paul Hayes, GMB London Secretary said: “This survey comes at the time when the government is considering regionalising public sector pay which will lower earnings in London as many people work in the public sector. Local economies will suffer as everyone’s pay is dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

“National agreements mean that earnings in the UK regions, Scotland and Wales are fair and equality proof and also that public sector employees can be more mobile to move around the UK. The impact of regionalising public sector pay would be to reduce the amount of disposable income in each local community and drive them further into recession. Indeed it would make the recession worse.”