'This shows Reform don't view disabled people as people'

AUTISTIC TEEN SLAMS PARTY CHAIRMAN FOR ABLEIST SLUR

- By EDWARD BARNES

AN autistic teenager has slammed a prominent Wirral Reform figure for his use of ableist language in a private group chat, saying 'private chats show your true feelings.

Wirral Reform's chairman David Burgess-Joyce has previously refused to apologise for his use of the word "ret**d" in leaked messages from a party group chat, and in further comments to the ECHO said he would choose his own words and it was up to other people to choose which words offended them.

Katie Peacock, 17, who is autistic, said the remarks were "absolutely disgusting" following a report by the ECHO into messages sent in a group chat linked to Wirral Reform.

In messages attributed to local party chairman and former councillor Mr Burgess-Joyce, he used the words "ret**ds" and "ret****d" when referring to Labour party figures.

The word ret**d is considered by many now to be a highly offensive epithet used to describe someone with an intellectual disability. However Mr Burgess-Joyce refused to apologise for his use of such language.