Tory MP tells one-legged beggar to ‘get a job’
A Conservative MP was seen berating a one-legged beggar outside the Houses of Parliament in an extraordinary incident earlier this month, it has been reported.
Daniel Kawczynski was spotted telling disabled drug addict Mark McGuigan to "get a job, find some work" before adding: "Yes, I know it is hard, I have struggled too."
McGuigan said he felt intimidated by the six foot eight Kawczynski, who is thought to be the tallest MP in history.
"I can't get a job. I can barely read and write. Look at me, I am missing a leg," he told the Daily Mail.
"I said that to him but he just started getting more and more aggressive. It was horrible. I felt very intimidated by the way he was leaning over me saying, 'get a job, get a job'. He was towering over me," he added.
McGuigan, from Bermondsey South London, said he was raised by alcoholics and moved in and out of care homes before falling into crime and drug use.
His alcoholism and drug addiction resulted in him losing his right leg a year ago and he is now reliant on a wheelchair.
Onlookers were seen congratulating McGuigan after his confrontation with the Tory MP.
Kawczynski said today he did "not recall" using the words quoted, but insisted that he was right to challenge the man on why he was not looking for work.
"He asked me for money so I asked him what he was doing to find a job," he told the Mail.
"He said, 'I can't get a job'. He had difficulties in literacy and numeracy. I told him there were government initiatives to help him with this. I said to him: 'If you let me know where you live I can help'."
Kawcynski is currently an aide to Welsh secretary David Jones.
He boosts his parliamentary income with directorships, shareholdings and consultancies for several private companies.
Last year he was heavily criticised after it emerged he had claimed for 72 first class rail journeys between his Shrewsbury constituency and London between 2011 and 2012.
