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Tory councillor in Norfolk slammed after labelling disabled activists 'selfish'

A SENIOR Tory councillor in Norfolk has been urged to resign after writing a vicious email in which she described struggling disabled people as “selfish.”

Conservative chairwoman of Norfolk County Council Margaret Stone has been widely condemned for lashing out at disabled campaigners who requested to meet her.

Last week, 120 disabled people and carers from Norfolk attended a meeting at county hall.

Their stories were heard by Labour, Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors but not a single Conservative councillor attended.

This prompted campaigners to send an email to Conservative councillors to invite them to discuss the cuts.

Within minutes Ms Stone had fired off a furious response seen by the Star, which said: “I am increasingly disgusted in your campaign which is so selfish as to believe your needs are greater than the rest of the population.

“Think of the rest of the population of Norfolk when 70 per cent of their council tax goes to you and your family.”

Disabled People Against the Cuts activist Jennifer Jones told the Star that the email was “illuminating,” exposing the Tories’ “brazen disregard for the quality of life of disabled people.”

Labour county councillor Jess Barnard told the Star: “All these campaigners have asked for is to be heard and treated with dignity by those in power at Norfolk County Council.

“The demonisation and scapegoating of people with disabilities — and some of the most vulnerable people in Norfolk — is sickening, and something we should be ashamed to see coming from Norfolk county councillors — but sadly I cannot say I’m surprised.

“This is the same administration which drove through cuts to children’s services and awarded themselves an 11 per cent pay rise in the same meeting and have repeatedly refused to meet with or respond adequately to these families.

“If they insist on pursuing a policy of austerity and implementing cuts to some of the most vulnerable groups and their carers, then they will hear and see the consequences.

“They do not work for the people of Norfolk, and if Councillor Stone and the rest of the Tory group believe that they are not accountable to the electorate — and the most vulnerable in society — then they need to resign.”

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