A BOLTON MP posted a picture of himself with a woman in a wheelchair onto his Facebook page – just days after voting to force through disability benefit cuts.

Chris Green, MP for Bolton West, uploaded the photograph to mark Disabled Access Day on March 12.

He is backing a campaign by national charity Whizz-KIDZ to make public transport more accessible for people with disabilities.

But just 10 days earlier the Conservative MP voted to force through measures by the Government which will see the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) that disabled people receive cut by £30 per week for some new claimants from 2017.

The House of Lords had suggested that an impact assessment should be added into the cuts but MPs voted against the option.

Mr Green said the issue of the ESA vote and his support for the Whizz-Kidz campaign were two “distinct” issues and said the changes to ESA would not be taking money away from disabled people but “delivering it in a different way.”

He said: “Access to public transport is a vital issue and we need to maintain the progress we have made in this area and keep engaging with this really powerful campaign.

“The vote on ESA is a different subject — the choice is not taking away money to support disabled people — it is changing the way it is delivered. Some people need changes to the benefit to enable them to take certain jobs.”

He added: “So it is being given in a different way — rather than supporting people in unemployment it is enabling them to get that job.”

The cuts in question apply to new claimants in the ‘work-related activity group’ (WRAG) band of ESA from April 2017.

Furious residents criticised Mr Green on his Facebook post.

Kieran Anders said: “This is ridiculous. How can you vote for the £30 cuts, and then act like you care for the sick and disabled people who you are happy to take money from.

Jan Kennedy posted: “So you want to make travel more inclusive for disabled people but in turn you have removed £30 a week from them so they can't afford to travel. Tell me how this is right or are you just another hypocrite?”

Sally Cooper added: “I wonder what the young lady in the photo feels now that someone who seemed to really care and be interested in disabled people then went on to vote that they lose £30 a week. Beware when your MP asks for a photo is all I can say.”

Mr Green also took to his website to defend his position, stating: “Those in the WRAG currently receive additional cash payments but little employment support appropriate for their needs. Instead of spending money on cash payments, which are not having the desired effect of moving people closer to work, the Government wants to invest in additional practical support for people with limited capability for work. This new funding will be worth £100 million by 2020-21.”