The British public believe public sector workers should earn more and are unhappy with the high salaries of those at the top end, according to a new Fabian Society poll.

The report, which forms part of a new Fabian publication called The Equality Challenge, found that although the British public thought the Prime Minister should earn more than top managing directors and footballers, he should earn less than he does currently. They felt £135,000 was a reasonable rate for the PM's job. However, they would slash salaries for professional Premiership footballers to around £62,000 a year, closer to their current monthly salary.

The Fabian Report on equality in Britain found the public felt the following were reasonable salaries:
Prime minister - £135,000
Managing director of a top company - £120,000
A best-selling author - £80,000
A GP - £70,000
A leading Premiership footballer - £62,000
A state secondary school headteacher - £52,000
An experienced hospital nurse - £33,000
A local beat police officer - £29,500
A good local plumber - £28,500
A bus driver - £22,500
A supermarket check-out worker - £15,000
A fast-food restaurant worker - £14,000

Editorial director, Tom Hampson, says: "This research shows how the British public feels the gap between the richest and poorest workers should be narrower.

"Our polling shows that the public thinks it is reasonable for Gordon Brown to be at the top of the earnings league above J K Rowling, managing directors of FTSE-100 companies and, especially, Premiership footballers, like Wayne Rooney.”