Jimmy Carr criticised for amputee joke

Jimmy Carr has been criticised after making a joke about servicemen amputees.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Carr made the quip at his show in Manchester on Friday.

He said: "Say what you like about these servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we're going to have a f**king good Paralympic team in 2012."

Carr, who visited injured troops at Selly Oak military hospital and the Headley Court rehabilitation centre earlier this month, was criticised by servicemen, politicians and soldiers' relatives.

Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson was injured in Afghanistan, said: "Soldiers are fighting for freedom of speech. I hope Mr Carr remembers that when he makes offensive jokes ridiculing them.

"There's no-one with a better sense of humour than the lads who have lost limbs. It's unfortunate that people like Jimmy Carr abuse them."

Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan, described the joke as "disgraceful" and added: "Carr clearly has little understanding of what these chaps go through."

Defence secretary Bob Ainsworth said that the armed forces deserve the "utmost respect", while Conservative MP Patrick Mercer complained: "This was a remarkably dim and foolish thing to joke about. It's not funny and this man's career should end right now."

Carr apologised for the joke in a statement, adding that he had only wanted to make people laugh.

"I've got nothing but respect for the young men and women who put their lives on the line for this country," he said. "I've visited Selly Oak and Headley Court on many occasions.

"I'm sorry if anyone was offended but that's the kind of comedy I do. If a silly joke draws attention to the plight of these servicemen then so much the better.

"My intention was only to make people laugh."