Welfare reform minister: some disabled people ‘not worth’ minimum wage [View all]

[dixiegrrrrl]

Britain's Welfare Minister pulls a Romney, only worse.

David Cameron has been forced to disassociate himself from the welfare reform minister Lord Freud after Ed Miliband revealed that he told a fringe meeting at the recent Tory conference that some disabled people are “not worth” the minimum wage.

The prime minister said the comments by Freud, who suggested that some disabled people could be paid as low as £2 an hour, did not represent the view of the government. But Cameron showed anger when he alluded to his severely disabled late son, Ivan, as he told Miliband that he would take no lectures on disabled people.

The angry exchanges came as Miliband disclosed the remarks by Freud in answer to a question at the recent Tory conference in Birmingham about paying the minimum wage to disabled people.
The Labour leader quoted Freud as saying to his questioner at the fringe meeting:
“You make a really good point about the disabled. There is a group where actually, as you say, they’re not worth the full wage.”

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/15/welfare-reform-minister-disabled-not-worth-minimum-wage

Then 1 hour ago:

UK welfare minister Lord Freud offers 'full and unreserved apology' for comments suggesting disabled 'not worth full wage' -