Katie Price Twitter Attack

UPDATE: 08:00 

It's being reported that a councillor who said disabled children "should be put down'' to save taxpayers' money has resigned. 

Collin Brewer, an independent Cornwall councillor, said his remarks at an equalities event at County Hall in Truro 18 months ago were designed to "provoke a debate''. 

However the veteran council member has been met with a storm of criticism from disabled people, their carers and campaigners - including former glamour model Katie Price, whose son Harvey is disabled. 

Mr Brewer initially refused to resign, yesterday saying his comments were "a flippant remark''. 

But he has since reconsidered his position. "This is my first indiscretion - not that there's any excuse for that.'' 

He said he had received messages of support from at least half a dozen councillors who contacted him over his remarks. 

"They know this is against my character,' 

"I was wrong - I admit it. I will continue to apologise.''

 

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Katie Price has taken to Twitter to show her outrage about a North Cornwall councillor saying 'disabled children cost the council too much money and should be put down'. 

Katie wrote on her Twitter page: "Colin Brewer how would you like to dispose of my son Harvey???" 

More than 4 hundred people have signed an online petition calling for his immediate resignation.

A Cornwall councillor who said disabled children "should be put down'' to save taxpayers' money has apologised - but refused to resign.

Colin Brewer, an independent councillor, said his remarks at an equalities event held at County Hall in Truro 18 months ago were designed to "provoke a debate''. 

However, the veteran council member has been met with a storm of criticism from disabled people, their carers and campaigners, some of whom have likened Mr Brewer's comments to policies advocated by the Nazis. 

In a defence of his comments, Mr Brewer said he was concerned about the financial burden of caring for Cornish disabled people out of the county - saying it would be more cost-effective to care for them in Cornwall. 

Any savings, he said, could have been spent on public services such as toilets. 

He said: "I wouldn't want to be considered in the same frame as the Nazis. "I did it simply to provoke. My concern was for the children themselves. 

"I didn't like the idea of disabled people being sent out of the county when, in my view, they should be treated within the county for the benefit of them and their carers and parents.'' 

He added: "It was unfortunately a flippant remark which I shouldn't have made. I don't agree with what was said, it was intended to provoke a debate. 

"Unfortunately it didn't work. I apologise to all the people in the UK who I have upset.'' 

The complaint stems from an incident in Truro in October 2011, when Mr Brewer was talking to Theresa Court, advice services manager with Disability Cornwall. 

Mrs Court said: "I remember him (Mr Brewer) coming over and asking what the stall was about. "I was explaining to him about the parent partnership service when he said disabled children should be put down. 

"He said they cost the council too much money. I felt physically sick. 

"I was there with parents of disabled children at the time and I just had to turn my back on him.'' 

His comments have only now come to light after the matter was finally resolved, with the standards board instructing Mr Brewer to apologise to Mrs Court. 

The authority said recent changes in Government regulations meant the council was "limited'' in how it dealt with breaches of its code of conduct. 

Mr Brewer is due to contest his seat in May's Cornwall Council elections.