DISABLED people will suffer unless the Government changes its mind about new plans to means-test incapacity benefit.

MP David Chaytor says the proposals will unfairly penalise people who have saved for their retirement and then become unable to work.

Mr Chaytor was invited on to the Radio 4 "Today" programme to outline his opposition to the changes. They also include plans to restrict incapacity benefit to those who have worked and paid National Insurance contributions in one of the two years before claiming the benefit.

The Bury North MP said the plans had "not been properly thought out" and he would be keeping the pressure on ministers.

Mr Chaytor was also on the radio last week to talk about his campaign to promote regional accents.

The MP has tabled a Parliamentary motion in the wake of Cellnet's decision to make its HQ in the borough because of the "soothing and trustworthy" nature of the Lancashire accent.

"We must break down the last barriers of snobbery and celebrate the cultural diversity which regional accents express," he told Radio 4's You and Yours programme.

"It's time for us to move on from our obsession with people's vowels and take more interest in their personalities."

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