London, May 28:

Britain’s lowest-paid workers have enjoyed a bigger improvement in their standard of living since 2003 than those in any other European country, according to research by the European Trade Union Confederation.

It shows that Gordon Brown and Tony Blair’s decision to introduce a minimum wage has transformed the country from a laggard to a leader in the EU in combating poverty wages. It has also made Britain a magnet for low-paid workers from parts of eastern Europe and Portugal where workers’ standard of living has dropped over the past three years.

The research by the European Trade Union Institute-Research Education Health and Safety compared the effect of rises in the national minimum wage on workers’ purchasing power.

It showed that since 2003 a British worker on the minimum wage had seen their purchasing power rise by 18.8 per cent. This compared with an 18 per cent risein Spain and 17.4 per cent in Luxembourg. The minimum wage is £5.35 an hour for adults, due to rise to £5.52 in October. Britain’s big increase, has narrowed the gap between the minimum wage and average wages.

The result has been to encourage workers to quit low-wage countries for Britain.