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THERE was outrage yesterday as 50 disabled workers were thrown on the jobs scrapheap by the Tories.

The Con-Dem Government confirmed a Remploy factory would close – as the Daily Record revealed it could have been saved.

The announcement came after the preferred bidder for the Scottish base, R Link, decided not to proceed with the takeover from owners the Department for Work and Pensions.

But a businessman last night revealed he’d tried to buy the wheelchair maker, based in Springburn, Glasgow, and save all 50 jobs – but had his bid blocked.

Colin Scarsi, who owns Greentyre, a wheelchair factory in Middlesbrough, had hoped to save the jobs of the disabled staff by merging the two businesses.

But Remploy bosses froze him out after he raised concerns about the way the takeover bid was being handled.

Scarsi said he was considering legal action over the matter, adding: “Greentyre were well advanced in their plan to save jobs at Remploy Springburn before they were suspended from the process by Remploy.

“Greentyre have been advised of the risk of legal action by the DWP if they disclose details of the disposal process, a process Greentyre had described to the department as possibly unlawful, disadvantaging the UK taxpayer and failing to serve the best interests of the workers Remploy were charged to protect.”

SNP MSP Bob Doris said the closure of the factory was a betrayal of the workers. He added: “These jobs could have been saved and I have been insisting the UK Government hold an inquiry into how Remploy have conducted the sale.

“Now it would appear another buyer may now be able to keep the order book of Remploy Springburn but wash their hands of the workers. If that is true, it is simply unacceptable.”

Phil Brannan, the GMB union’s factory shop steward, said: “We were told everything would be done to save jobs but there has not been a single job saved.”

But UK Government Disabled People Minister Esther McVey said the plant was closing as “there were no other viable bids”.

Remploy said they had been “unable to agree with the preferred bidder a sale of the Springburn factory and, as a result, the factory will now close”.