Chancellor 'suggests' disabled staff have 'lower productivity'

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has been accused of scapegoating disabled workers in efforts to cover up the government’s economic policy failings – BuzzFeed report.

The comments in question came as he gave evidence to the Commons Treasury select committee on the 2017 Budget.

He said: “It is almost certainly the case that by increasing participation in the workforce, including far higher levels of participation by marginal groups, very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example of disabled people – something we should be extremely proud of – we may have had an impact on overall productivity measurements.”

Anna Bird, Director of Policy and Research at disability charity Scope, described the comments as "totally unacceptable and derogatory".