Freud came under fire after being recorded stating disabled people are “not worth the full wage”.

He was responding to a question at a Conservative Conference fringe event about disabled people being paid less than the national minimum wage, when he said that he would “go away and think about that particular issue, whether there is something we can do nationally.” After the news broke outrage ensued — with many calling for the Minister for Welfare Reform to be given the sack.

West Dunbartonshire MP Gemma Doyle said: “I find it completely unacceptable that a Government Minister would think that it is appropriate to pay disabled people less than the national minimum wage.

“Apart from it being illegal, it is also immoral and a clear path to exploitation.

“Lord Freud’s comments show just how nasty the Tory party can be. The cruel bedroom tax is already penalising more than 400,000 disabled people, and now one of David Cameron’s ministers believes it would be perfectly okay for employers to pay disabled people less than the national minimum wage.” “I believe that Lord Freud should resign from his post, and that the Tory party should think very carefully about the way that they are treating some of the most vulnerable in our society.” Freud has been Minister for Welfare Reform since 2010 and as such is responsible for policies including housing benefit and the troubled Universal Credit programme.