Cameron vows to curb executive pay, apologizes for disability slur

Jan 8, 2012, 11:05 GMT

London - British Prime Minister David Cameron promised Sunday to crack down on out-of-control executive pay, in a series of interviews setting the government's agenda for the new year.

But Cameron was also forced to apologize for a slur, where he had described a member of the Labour opposition as like someone with Tourette's Syndrome - an inherited neurological condition.

Although the prime minister was referring to the way he is heckled at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in parliament, Downing Street later put out an apology for any offence caused.

The remark was made 'off the cuff,' a statement said.

In the main thrust of the interviews, Cameron - who has defended the financial services sector of the City of London against a proposed European Union-wide fiscal stability pact - promised to end the 'merry-go-round' of super-rich pay packets.

'The market for top people isn't working, it needs to be sorted out,' he told The Sunday Telegraph.

'Let's empower the shareholders by having a straight, shareholder vote on top paid packages.'

However, there was no specific detail on how any such plan might work. The government is due to publish a consultation later this month on curbing boardroom pay levels.

In the interview, Cameron also said that being heckled by the Labour party finance spokesman, Ed Balls, was 'like having someone with Tourette's sitting opposite you.'

'He just annoys me,' Cameron said of Balls - whose gestures and comments aimed at the premier have become a feature of the combative weekly question time session.

A spokesman later said: 'The prime minister would not have meant to offend anyone. He apologizes if any offence has been caused.'