A MAVERICK Labour councillor has been forced to apologise after telling a disabled political opponent "They used to put people like you down!"Chris Newbury was forced to make an "abject apology" after newly-elected Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Chambers lodged an official complaint against him.

By Paul Geater

A MAVERICK Labour councillor has been forced to apologise after telling a disabled political opponent "They used to put people like you down!"

Chris Newbury was forced to make an "abject apology" after newly-elected Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Chambers lodged an official complaint against him.

Mrs Chambers caused the shock of the night in May when she won the Alexandra seat on Ipswich Council, defeating senior Labour councillor Dianne Hosking.

She uses a wheelchair and crutches. "I was born with two dislocated hips. I have had four replacement hips, but I do have a disability," she said.

But she was shocked by Mr Newbury's comments at a social event at the end of her first meeting as a councillor.

"He came up to me and asked if I always needed crutches," she said. "I was rather surprised and said yes.

"Then he said 'they used to put people like you down!' I was shocked and quite distressed.

"I lodged an official complaint to the council about what he had said."

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