JUSTIN Tomlinson’s article of 15 May, re his new ministerial role as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People, normally one would congratulate him, but such days of political naivety have long gone.

He states: “I will do my very best to make a difference to the disabled by drawing on my experience with charities and groups in Swindon.” What does he mean ‘to make a difference to the disabled?’ It was his government that shut down Remploy, the state-owned company, which provided work for the disabled, giving them hope, a wage and above all, dignity.

Traditionally, politicians have always regarded disabled people, along with pensioners, as the most deserving of state support. Not any more! The DWP wants 600,000 disabled people off benefits by 2018, to make ‘savings’ of £3bn.

In his re-election speech, Cameron promised to build ‘one-nation’, but acts otherwise. The persecution of the poor and vulnerable will continue, regardless of what Cameron spouts. Austerity is here to stay if the British people put up with it.

Iain Duncan Smith’s idea to cure poverty it seems is to treat poverty with yet more poverty. Why hasn’t the Queen complained to her minsters about the shocking treatment being carried out on her subjects, with far worse to come? Like her government, she too gives not a fig! Wealthy and privileged look after their own.

During the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, the Duke of Edinburgh wrote an article for the magazine Director, suggesting that Britain should ‘not concentrate so heavily on the unfortunate, the underprivileged.’ There we have it. The state is being rolled back and Mr Tomlinson is one of its agents: cuts! cuts! cuts!

Traditionally, governments of whatever hue have protected the disabled. Not any more. Pass it on to charities. What happens when the public stops donating, or if the government threatens charities with withdrawal of funds if they continue to criticise them for increasing mass poverty? (Oxfam) Tory ministers have even been turning public opinion against the disabled which has resulted in actual verbal and physical attacks on them. Hate crime against the disabled shot up by 25 per cent in 2012, thanks in part to the constant media scaremongering about ‘scroungers’ faking disability so as to lead an easy life. Pity the disabled under this heartless government, because they won’t.

JEFF ADAMS Bloomsbury Swindon