True but politically incorrect thing said (UK)

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Lord Freud comments offensive, disability rights campaigner says 16 October 2014 Last updated at 01:24 BST Welfare minister Lord Freud has apologised for "foolish and offensive" remarks in which he suggested people with disabilities could be paid less than the minimum wage. Labour has called on the Conservative peer to resign after he said some workers were "not worth the full wage". David Cameron distanced himself from the comments, saying they "were not the views of anyone in government". Writer and disability rights activist Penny Pepper told BBC Newsnight that Lord Freud's comments were offensive.

Another article gives the context of the remarks:

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Lord Freud's comments came during a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference last month when he was asked whether it was preferable for someone with a disability, who could not get a job, to be paid less than the minimum wage - and to have their income topped up with benefits - in order to give them the experience of work and boost their self esteem. '£2 an hour' In response to the question, from Conservative councillor David Scott, he reportedly said there "was no system for going below the minimum wage". But he added: "Now, there is a small… there is a group, and I know exactly who you mean, where actually as you say they're not worth the full wage and actually I'm going to go and think about that particular issue, whether there is something we can do nationally, and without distorting the whole thing, which actually if someone wants to work for £2 an hour, and it's working can we actually…" Unemployment for disabled people has remained stubbornly around 50% for over twenty years despite schemes and incentives. It's perhaps understandable that Lord Freud might want to think outside the box to allow desperate disabled people to shine and get a real job with a real (if low) wage which for some may be preferable to remaining at home, isolated, looking forward to a life on benefits. If disabled people could charge less for their time, they might get a job more easily... but it could also send out unhelpful messages and devalue all disabled workers. Suggesting that disabled people may not be worthy of what's deemed to be a "minimum" wage is seen by campaigners as unacceptable, as Conservative MP Philip Davies found to his cost in 2011. Equal rights, equal pay are bound up in law and feel right and just.

So whatever the economic reality may be, you cannot acknowledge it and must pretend that it doesn't exist. No economically rational policy may be proposed either, lest delicate sensibilities be offended.