Weight loss sympathy

Jun 4 2008 By Jon Walker

BLACK Country MP Tom Watson (Lab West Bromwich East) rises to the defence of Fern Britton, the television presenter who shed the pounds with help from a gastric band.

She's been criticised for giving the impression that she lost weight the hard way - through eating less and taking exercise.

Mr Watson says: "I can understand why she wouldn't want an essentially private decision to end up in the papers."

He sympathises because he's been on a diet since January: "And it's flippin' hard work."