Muammar Al Khadafi

Tory MP Philip Davies has caused outrage after telling a Parliamentary debate that the minimum wage prevents the disabled from getting work because they could not offer to work for less.

Great idea Mr Davies, the outcome is obvious for all to see.

Employer - What can you bring to the job?

Man in wheelchair - I'll work for £3 an hour instead of £5.93, I'm disabled you see, it's the only way I can get a job.

Employer - Hmmm, £2.50 and you're hired!

It really doesn't take anyone with half a brain to work out that this is just the way things will work out, with the disabled used as a cheap pool of labour, paid a paltry wage and finding it even harder to get employment which pays a decent amount.

Not to mention the knock on effect, lowering wages across the board, as employers point out that yes, they'd like to give someone a job, but that disabled guy there is happy to take a lower wage. It's tough economic times you know, we've got to save money where we can.

In fact, back to the workhouse with you. We've installed ramps so wheelchair users can have access, there's a psychiatric nurse on standby, welcome to our very own sweatshop where you can get paid peanuts and slave from sunup to sundown just to make ends meet.

That's only fair they do those long hours. After all, the disabled are by definition less productive, at least according to Mr Davies.

Good old Tories, managing to present a 'solution' to unemployment among the disabled, but one which will result in only one winner, namely businesses who can employ people for peanuts all in the name of helping doing their bit for the disadvantaged.

A spokesman for Downing Street distanced themselves from Davies comments, and Sophie Corlett of Mind said that "People with mental health problems should not be considered a source of cheap labour.."

Still, perhaps Mr Davies would like to set an example to all those disabled people out there and take a fifty percent cut in his own wages as an MP. It's only fair, it could be his first step on the career ladder to party leader. You've got to start somewhere, working for pocket change is a small price to pay.

Maybe he'll offer to next time he is up for election, but don't expect it any time before. If he does, remember it will most likely be a target or an aim, and never actually happen, the Tory party as a whole are good at that.