Tory backbencher Philip Davies caused outrage today by telling Parliament that disabled people should work for less than the minimum wage, reports Shamik Das.
Tory backbencher Philip Davies caused outrage today by telling Parliament that disabled people should work for less than the minimum wage. The remarks were described as “outrageous and unacceptable” by a select committee chair, and “a preposterous suggestion” by a leading charity. Davies made his comments during a debate on the Employment Opportunities Bill, which had its second reading today.
Anne Begg, chair of the work and pensions committe, said:
“These comments are utterly outrageous and unacceptable. To suggest that disabled people should be treated as second class citizens is shocking and shows just what a warped world some Tories demonstrate they inhabit.”
Davies also said people with learning difficulties should be made to work for sub-standard wages – made to work for less than £5.93 an hour.
Responding, Mind spokeswoman Sophie Corlett said:
“It is a preposterous suggestion that someone who has a mental health problem should be prepared to accept less than minimum wage to get their foot in the door with an employer.
“People with mental health problems should not be considered a source of cheap labour and should be paid appropriately for the jobs they do.”
Last month, Davies described Britain’s contribution to international aid as “stark raving mad”; more sinister were his recent comments that there was nothing offensive about ‘blacking up’.
Davies had said:
“Why it is so offensive to black up your face… I have never understood this.”
As I said before, what a sad, pathetic little man Mr Davies is.
98 Responses to “Tory MP: Disabled should work for less than minimum wage”
Mason Dixon, Autistic
Seeing as disabled people in my position get on plenty of ‘work experience’ placements for a while and never get a job out of it, the motives of suggesting we get the ‘right’ to opt out of minimum wages should be treated with suspicion.
Lady Eris
As someone who has experience of working with students who have profound and very complex disabilities both learning difficulties and physical, you may expect me to be equally indignant of Mr Davies. However I am not, because he is absolutely correct. Many of my charges have attended residential specialist colleges, often at vast expense, upwards of £150,000 is not uncommon. Many of these students will learn how to live independently and obtain basic work skills to a level where they could perform basic tasks with someone supporting them. Many employers are sympathetic to providing work to this cohort but simply could not afford to pay the minimum wage to them. Harsh reality though it is, such learners would likely not offer a return on the investment. Allowing the minimum wage to be waived for them would allow them to do some part time work to top up their payments for care (which are also being reduced). The alternative is to have a group of unhappy people consigned to expensive care provision with no mental challenge. Not an optimal outcome for them, or society as a whole.
The left is quick to challenge the orthodoxy of drugs policy, despite it clearly not working and harming the most vulnerable. Why will they not do the same for the minimum wage? Is it simply because a nasty Tory suggested it? Please try and think these things through for yourselves.
Javi Loureiro
Un diputado conservador británico dice que los minusválidos deberían trabajar por menos del salario mínimo. #dandoideas http://j.mp/iEAmHB
Anon E Mouse
I just heard this guy on Radio 4 PM and whilst I completely disagree with him and believe that people with disabilities should be paid for the job the same as everyone else, I was surprised to hear him say that The Equalities Commission themselves, pay the disabled less than able workers.
If he’s right then they, just like him, should be criticised and ashamed for that type of remark.
Does anyone know if he’s right?
Anne Booth
Tory MP @PhilipDaviesMP says disabled people should consider working for less than min wage: http://t.co/JRAkfrz (via @ShamikDas)