A councillor who said disabled children "should be put down" to save taxpayers' money has resigned.
Collin Brewer, an independent Cornwall councillor, said his remarks at an equalities event at County Hall in Truro To Theresa Court, who works for Disability Cornwall, 18 months ago, were designed to "provoke a debate".
However the veteran council member has been met with a storm of criticism from disabled people, their carers and campaigners - including former glamour model Katie Price, whose son Harvey is disabled.
Brewer initially refused to resign, saying his comments were "a flippant remark".
But he has since reconsidered his position. Asked in an interview with BBC Radio Cornwall whether those offended by his comments would be pleased with his decision, Brewer said: "I know they will be.
"This is my first indiscretion - not that there's any excuse for that."
He said he had received messages of support from at least half a dozen councillors who contacted him over his remarks.
"They know this is against my character," he said.
"I was wrong - I admit it. I will continue to apologise."
Prior to the councillor's resignation, Court told HuffPost UK: "Comments like this are disability hate speech which incites disability hate crime, sadly on the rise in this economic climate.
"Anybody who says such things is in no position to hold public office. He was on council duty at the time. We want to raise awareness that this councillor is making funding decisions in this county about disabled people."
The European Regional President of the Special Olympics Movement, Mary Davis said it was disappointing the councillor had not resigned in the previous 18 months, and said the comments "displayed an ignorance on an unimaginable scale".
"It is truly frightening that any person should hold such an attitude and it makes it even more sickening that it is a public representative. He degraded, insulted and failed not just the many people in his own constituency living with a disability and their families but hundreds of millions of people with disabilities and their families across the world."