Cornwall councillor Collin Brewer's latest remarks about disabled children could have a severely damaging effect on the county's growing disabled tourism industry, say those who specialise in the field.
Joe Taylor is project coordinator at the Wave Project in Truro, which works with disadvantaged youngsters, many with disabilities. The project aims to improve their confidence and self-esteem by teaching them how to surf.
Wadebridge councillor Mr Brewer was re-elected to Cornwall Council last week despite being forced to stand down after he previously said disabled children should be "put down".
His latest string of comments, apparently made during an interview with the Disability News Service (DNS), have once again sparked a public outcry.
Mr Taylor warned the councillor's comments about disabled people, made during the interview, in which he said "there may be a case for killing disabled babies, will have a negative impact on the county's reputation.
It's bad for Cornwall. We are dependent on tourism and an elected councillor is saying disabled people are not welcome here", he said.
"What kind of message does this send to people?
"The disabled tourism industry in Cornwall is worth around £1.5 million and the council is trying to encourage more disabled people to come here.
"It [Mr Brewer's remarks] is really damaging on so many levels."
Mr Taylor is one of several calling for Brewer's resignation.
Disability Cornwall, the disabled people's organisation to which he made the comment to at a council equality and diversity event back in October 2011 and which ultimately led to his original resignation, have been shown a transcript of DNS's interview with Mr Brewer.
A spokesman told DNS if the contents are true it proved "beyond any reasonable doubt that the apology offered by Cllr Brewer was prompted, not by any genuine regret, but in fact by his own self-serving political ambitions."
They said comments made during the interview that others shared his views were "sadly no surprise…but it's particularly frightening these views may be held by those who have the positions and power to make life and death decisions.
"It is a sad indictment of our so-called 'civilised' society that disabled children are increasingly discussed within a context of affordability, as if they were goods on a shelf that can be picked up and discarded at will, dependent upon what's in the public purse.
"Collin Brewer and others, it would appear, believe a disabled child has the same value as a deformed lamb and should be dealt with in the same way."
