Google UK workers average salary is higher than PM

The average Google UK worker will take home more than Prime Minister David Cameron, The Guardian reports.

The Guardian’s workings were as follows: “Accounts for 2015 show that Google UK paid wages of £562million over an 18-month period, including £148million in share-based bonuses. Calculated on a pro-rata basis over 12 months, the salary bill works out at an average of £160,000 per head. It was spent on 1,075 marketing staff, 799 staff in research and development, and 455 managers and administrators. Two directors – one based in Dublin, another in the US – did not draw a salary from the UK company.”

The tech colossus has been frequently criticised over the low tax it pays. Dame Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking and former Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said this salary information impeaches the claim that their UK employees do not do business with British advertisers.   

“This unmasks the reality of their business. [Google’s] complex structure of companies is a sham. [Google UK] is not a back office support operation. These are clearly people who are paid a lot because they add value – selling advertising, closing deals and developing new products”, she said to The Guardian.