A Conservative party candidate has been heckled at a hustings after claiming people with learning difficulties should be paid less than the minimum wage.
Sally-Ann Hart, who is standing in Hastings and Rye, was accused of making ‘inexcusable’ claims that ‘should be consigned to history’ after also alleging that those with learning disabilities ‘don’t understand money’.
The shocking statement came after she was asked about an article from 2017, which focused on pay for people with Down’s Syndrome, autism and other conditions, that she had shared on social media.
Sally-Ann Hart, Conservative candidate for Hastings and Rye, told a hustings event that disabled people should be paid less than the minimum wage
Speaking at the hustings Ms Hart, who has been a councillor for Rother District council for four years, said the article is ‘about people with learning difficulties being given the opportunity to work because it’s to do with the happiness they have about working’.
‘Some people with learning difficulties, they don’t understand money.
‘It is about having a therapeutic exemption and the article is in support of people with learning disabilities.’
Her comments were met with an eruption of boos and jeers from the audience, as people shouted ‘shameful’ and ‘rubbish’.
A member of the audience can also be heard shouting: ‘I’m autistic and I want to get paid for the work I do!’
And another can be heard yellling: ‘We deserve the same rights as everybody else!’
Her comments were met with boos and jeers from the crowd as audience members shouted ‘unbelievable’. She made the comments after being asked about a 2017 Spectator article that she shared on social media
Disability equality charity Scope branded her comments ‘outdated, inexcusable and should be consigned to history’.
The charity’s head of policy, campaigns and public affairs, James Taylor, told The Metro: ‘Disabled people should be paid equally for the work that they do.
‘There are a million disabled people who want to work, but are denied the opportunity.
‘We need urgent action from the next Government to make sure disabled people can get into work, stay in work and thrive in work.’
And learning disability charity Mencap’s campaigns support officer Ciara Lawrence said that people with a disability, like herself, ‘can work and can make really fantastic employees with the right support’.
‘We have a right to be treated and paid equally – it’s the law’, she said.
‘I’m proof that with the right support people with a learning disability can make some of the best and most committed employees.’
It is understood that Ms Hart was formerly a governor at Ark Hastings Primary Academies, which supports children with learning disabilities and special educational needs, for six years.
The article, published by The Spectator in 2017 was written by Rosa Monckton, who has a daughter with Downs Syndrome.
The Conservative’s hold the constituency, Amber Rudd’s former seat, by a hair’s breadth of 300 votes.
In a statement uploaded to social media, Ms Hart said: ‘For the avoidance of doubt, I was trying to emphasise that more needs to be done to help those with learning disabilities into the workplace and having properly paid work.
‘I did not say anyone should be paid less.’
‘My comments have been taken out of context, but I do apologise if any offence or alarm has been caused.
‘The number of disabled people in work has hit a record high under this government, and I am committed to doing more to supporting those with learning disabilities into good, secure jobs.’