Chamali Fernando , candidate for Cambridge , was speaking at a hustings event last night when she made the comment . A Tory parliamentary candidate has sparked outrage after claiming mental health patients should wear coloured wristbands to flag up their conditions . Chamali Fernando , candidate for Cambridge , was speaking at a hustings event last night when she made the startling suggestion . She said wearing wristbands indicating a person 's condition would help doctors , lawyers and police officers – because people suffering mental illnesses often struggled to explain themselves . Ms Fernando , a barrister for 12 years , said : 'Police , social services or hospitals dealing with people with conditions that affect their ability to communicate can decide they are being obstructive or evasive . 'They do not realise the person may have a mental health or other condition . The way they behave often affects the way they are treated . 'Carrying some kind of identification shows they have a particular condition so allowances can be made . 'There are also different ways of doing this without stigmatising the person , such as carrying a card with details of the condition but in some cases by wearing a coloured wristband . ' Ms Fernando 's 'shocking ' suggestion was slammed by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today . Mr Clegg told MailOnline : 'The Liberal Democrats have spent many years campaigning for an end to the stigma around mental health . 'Silly ideas like making people suffering from mental health issues wear wristbands would only increase the discrimination and stigma around mental health , rather than end it . ' Mr Clegg told MailOnline : 'The Liberal Democrats have spent many years campaigning for an end to the stigma around mental health ' Miriam Gonzalez Durantez ( right ) , the wife of Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg , joined the party 's candidate for Hazel Grove , in Stockport , Lisa Smart ( left ) Julian Huppert , the Lib Dem candidate and Cambridge MP , said : ' I was really shocked at the suggestion that people with mental health problems should be expected to wear wristbands to identify themselves . ' Mr Huppert said : ' I have fought hard for many years against the stigma people with mental health problems face . There is already far too much discrimination against mental health throughout our society , and a wristband saying ' I am depressed ' is not going to help . 'We need to massively improve mental health support , which has been not good enough for many decades . I hope Chamali regrets her comments and will think carefully about her attitude to mental illness in the future . ' Political blogger Richard Taylor reported Ms Fernando 's comments at last night 's hustings . The Conservative candidate insisted her remarks were 'distorted ' , adding : 'It was not that they should wear a wristband . That would be draconian ' Ms Fernando has insisted that her comments were 'taken out of context ' . She said : 'The question that was asked is how authorities , such as the police , could better deal with mental health issues . 'At Cambridge National Autistic Hustings the chairman of CNAS said he carries a green card in his wallet to identify his condition . 'There are people who have come into contact with the police and due to an underlying mental health condition are unable to communicate their condition . 'It was not that they should wear a wristband . That would be draconian . '
Chamali Fernando made comments at a hustings in Cambridge last night . She claimed wearing wristbands could help doctors , lawyers and police . Her 'shocking ' suggestion was attacked by her political rivals 12 years . Ms Fernando insisted her comments had been taken out of context . Nick Clegg said the proposal would 'increase discrimination and stigma '