A secret recording of US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has been released in which he appears to condemn millions of Americans who cannot provide for themselves.

The recording, made in May at a Florida fund raising dinner, was released on the internet by the Mother Jones website which has a liberal perspective on US politics.

After it became public Mr Romney organised a press briefing in which he described his remarks as "inelegant" but he did not retract the points he had made.

Video courtesy of www.motherjones.com