BRITAIN:JOHN PRESCOTT was praised by eating disorder experts yesterday for his "brave" admission that he had struggled with bulimia for two decades.
In his forthcoming autobiography, the former deputy prime minister and MP for Hull East in northern England reveals that the stress of political life led him to seek comfort in food and then force himself to throw up. Mr Prescott says he began suffering from bulimia in the 1980s, when the pressure of being in the Labour shadow cabinet became overwhelming.
He battled the condition throughout his time in government, gorging on burgers, chocolate, crisps and fish and chips. But he says he has been free of the problem for more than a year.
"I'm sure it was to do with stress," he wrote in yesterday's Sunday Times, which is to serialise his memoirs. "I wasn't doing it all the time, and there would be gaps of weeks and months, but during those years when we first got into power, I let things get on top of me and took refuge in stuffing my face."
He added: "I've never confessed it before. Out of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment - or just because it's such a strange thing for someone like me to confess to. People normally associate it with young women - anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down, or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana."
He revealed how he would turn to sweet things and Chinese food when things became stressful.
"I could sup a whole tin of Carnation condensed milk, just for the taste, stupid things like that. Marks & Spencer trifles, I still love them, one of my favourites. I can eat them for ever. Whenever I go to Mr Chu's in Hull, my favourite Chinese restaurant in the whole world . . . I could eat my way through the entire menu."
Although Mr Prescott tried to hide the illness from his wife, Pauline, she realised what was going on. "The signs in the toilet gave it away, and all the missing food." She urged him to see a doctor and a consultant eventually diagnosed him with bulimia.
"I turned up and found his waiting room full of young women. I was the only man there. I felt a right twerp. Luckily none of them shopped me to the press."
In the book, he also reveals that despite preferring food to alcohol, he would occasionally drink to relieve the stress and to let people know how low he was feeling.
"Once or twice a year, when I was absolutely knackered, I did get out a bottle of vodka and place it on my desk. The office hated it when they saw what was happening. They knew I'd go at it full pelt, as I always do with anything, and empty the bottle. But that was very rare."
Mr Prescott, who resigned as deputy prime minister last June and will retire as an MP at the next election, is now supporting a campaign to raise awareness of eating disorders.
The eating disorder support charity Beat said Mr Prescott's decision to speak out had shown considerable courage.
"It will help other people to firstly realise that men can be affected by eating disorders, and you can get help and treatment - even if you have been ill for a very long time," said the charity's chief executive, Susan Ringwood.
"It is a brave thing to do because people do feel ashamed of themselves and find it really hard even to tell close family members."
- (Guardian service)