LABOUR described a senior cabinet minister as out of touch and uncaring after he was accused of sneering at the disabled.
Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith reportedly told Remploy workers facing redundancy because of his Government they should get a "proper job".
The controversy intensified the row over the closure of dozens of Remploy factories across the UK, which unions warn will leave more than 1500 dis-abled people unemployed.
Anne McGuire, Labour MP for Stirling and Shadow Work and Pensions Minister, said: "The reported comments of Iain Duncan Smith show just how out of touch this Government is.
"Instead of doing all he can to support disabled people into work, he took an opportunity to abuse them."
SNP MSP Mark McDonald, MSP for North East Scotland, added: "These are disgraceful, insensitive remarks and Iain Duncan Smith should apologise."
Mr Duncan Smith was quoted by a Sunday newspaper as asking a group of campaigners, including Remploy staff members, who approached him with a petition: "Is it a kindness to stick people in a factory where they are not doing any work at all. Just making cups of coffee? That goes on. That is not kind at all.
"I promise you this is better. I never said this was an easy decision but taking this decision was a balance between how much do I want to spend keeping people in Remploy factories not producing stuff versus getting people into proper jobs."
The Coalition plans to close 36 of the company's 54 UK sites including Glasgow, Motherwell, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
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