MP criticises ‘skinny’ Kate Moss
Friday 20th November 2009, 10:57AM GMT.
Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik has criticised Kate Moss for “encouraging eating disorders” and vowed to shame her in Parliament.
Kate Moss reignited the size zero debate earlier this week by revealing her motto: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”.
Mr Opik described the model’s comments as shocking and irresponsible and said he would be doing all he could to raise the issue in Parliament.
The 44-year-old has now tabled an Early Day Motion to challenge people to take a more responsible attitude towards eating disorders.
“I am appalled by what she has said because it just underlined everything that is wrong with the fashion world,” he said.
Mr Opik, who runs the Say No to Size Zero campaign with former Wonderbra model Katie Green, said he planned to hold a debate in Parliament.
Katie, 22, shot to fame as the face of Wonderbra in 2008. But she left after a modelling agency told her to lose two stone — despite being 5ft 11 and a size 12.
“I’m considering holding a debate in parliament to raise the matter and see what the other ministers have to say on the issue,” he said. “I can’t believe models like Kate Moss want to promote unhealthy eating and encourage eating disorders, because that isn’t what the fashion world is all about.
“Some people die of eating disorders and fashion celebrities need to start thinking about the consequences of what they say before saying things like this.
“It’s absolute madness to have an industry that promotes being dangerously underweight as a positive and eating disorders as a good fashion statement.”
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So the man who was knocking around with a Cheeky Girl for so long decides to knock the shallowness of the fashion industry.
Probably time to stop digging Lembit…
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Is fashion about having breast enhancement like the cheeky girls also? Get Gok Wan on the case and help these ladies be happy and confident with what they’ve got!
Lembit never ceases to amaze me!!
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I’m afraid I agree. Lembit is showboating a bit here. Kate was a stupid girl, but then no one has ever accused her of having brains, have they?
He should concentrate on issues closer to the concerns of his constituents rather than trying to pickup headlines on the coattails of Kate Moss’s moronic utterings.
Putting an effort into getting re-elected might stand him in better stead – after his rather unapologetic stance on expenses, he might well need that extra bit of effort.
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Everyone should stop picking on Lembit because of his personal choices, wither it be who he dates or what he does.
The fact is he’s completely correct in that the size zero image is so unhealthy is unreal.
Do we really want to bring up children / young adults into a society that promotes living on one lettuce leaf a day and ignoring the hunger pains your body is trying to warn you with ??
I’m not suggestion everyone should be 14+, but a healthy 8 – 14 would a nice image to promote, after all once you go beyond size 14 or lower than size 8 there are so many more physical health problems, not to mention the psychological ones.
Lembit may your be your favorite MP but I personally think he’s the most Generally Dedicate MP I’ve ever seen, and he’s popular with the younger generation, which is no bad thing as we are the future.
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I think it’s a good think he’s highlighting this problem. MOST women if they are truthful are effected by the fashion industry and models like Moss. Some of these celebs say stupid things, call other celebs fat (i’m thinking of Cheryl Cole picking on Lilly Allen here) and make the rest of us feel awful. It’s about time healthy looking women were used as models. Emma’s got it right, somewhere between 8 to 14.
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Been out of the news lately? Why not just state the obvious. Is there anything this man won’t do to get in the media?
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The majority of people in this country are overweight.
Maybe we are focusing on the wrong eating disorder here. So many overweight, unhealthy eating, non-exercising slobs in this country yet society ignores it.
Moss is an idiot for making such a comment. We should not ignore eating disorders of any extreme even if over eating is more socially acceptable than other eating disorders.
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I don’t think anyone disputes that what Kate Moss said was dangerously stupid, or that there isn’t a problem here. As I said before, no-one has ever said that Kate Moss has brains (and it’s a shame that she is still a role model for youger girls).
What was being criticised was Opik’s tendency to jump on a bandwagon. By picking a subject like this, he can look good to a wide cross section of the public, and pontificate about something that isn’t going to wind up political party leaders and other politicians. If he is attacked for this, of course there will always be those who say “But Lembit is highlighting a serious problem! He’s an inspiration to younger people!” and so on.
It IS a serious problem, and *Lembit Opik* of all people isn’t likely to expose that seriousness. Unfortunately, Lembit is so inextricably associated with any number of publicity seeking gestures in the past that it’s hard not to view his latest press release as being the latest in a long line of such gestures and posturing.
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I’ve never been anorexic or bulemic but I agree with Kate! You DO feel better skinny. I didn’t see anywhere where she promoted eating disorders. That’s ridiculous! She simply said nothing tastes as good as being skinny, and she’s right. You need to remember her mantra when you feel tempted to eat that last piece of cake in the fridge. It may feel good now, but it won’t feel as good as fitting into those skinny jeans you bought but have never been able to wear! Dieting is hard, but you CAN lose weight if you keep at it. And once you reach your goal, you’ll be so glad you did.
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Funny how you never see Mr Opik in the press with fat birds?
These MPs are always keen for a photo opportunity with young attractive girls to demonstrate their youth and vitality, but seem to avoid photos at ‘FatFighters’ meeting where they could show their concern for the obesity epidemic, which is a greater threat to the world than Global Warming.
In fact may I suggest that Mr Opik considers his own phyique and gets down the gym and gets some muscles rather than riding around on his Skegway electric scooter thingy. That way he may get to date someone as nice as Kate Moss.
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Golfer colin mongomerie had the same motto as Kate moss when he was trying to lose weight. Is mr opik going to give him both barrels in parliament too? Isn’t it strange that an overweight sportsman can have the motto but a skinny model can’t. Enough nanny state rubbish – if you like eating, eat. If you like being thin, eat less. Simples.
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Surely though Charly there is a difference of sorts between being SLIM (which is what I assume you mean….?) and being – as you and Miss Kate Dumb put it – SKINNY, which many people take to be a little more than just ‘slim’.
The problem is that perhaps people can’t tell there is a fine line between them?
Incidentally, in one of the Sunday papers there is an interview with model Katie Green of the Say No To Size Zero campaign, that Lembit is heroically supporting. Apparently the two of them are ‘dating’.
And that – in a nutshell – sums up Lembit’s latest little publicity stunt.
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In reference to the above comment, on July 18 the Shropshire Star carried this story:
Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik has today spoken out about his relationship with former-Wonderbra girl Katie Green saying they are “not dating” but launching a public campaign.
He said reports about them being a couple are “untrue” but said they are “good friends” who have been busy working together on a campaign – “Say No To Size Zero”. There were claims the Liberal Democrat has been dating the 21-year-old model.
Despite denying the reports, the 44-year-old, who has dated Cheeky Girl Gabriela Irimia and TV Weathergirl Sian Lloyd, said he was “flattered” to have been linked with Katie.
Read the full story here: http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/07/18/lembit-speaks-out-over-relationship/
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Charly@9
I do sympathise with you if that is your opinion on weight control and you are obviously affected by the media hype on weight loss and size.
I’ve lost 2 stone in the last 18 months to reach an adequate and healthy size following a popular healthy eating plan and I’ve not have to give up wine or cake yet! – you can lose weight and still enjoy the nice things in life – it’s all about balance.
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Jeepers, re#, good spot – you deserve a prize!
Yet again I make my point that Mr Opik is never seen with any ‘fat-just-good-friends’.
Would be be just as “flattered” to be linked with Vanesa Phelps if she launches an obesity campaign? hmmm? I doubt it.
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Thanks for reminding us of the story Andrew. So, back in July Mr Opik claims they’re not dating and 4 months later a national newspaper quotes Katie who says they are.
We can only assume that Lembit is taking a more professional view of his involvement in the campaign after all.
Of course, lots can happen in the space of 4 months – perhaps Katie Green knows the value of publicity too. As I said, Katie Green’s campaign (the one to Say No To Size Zero I mean:-) is a very important one. Although even Carole Malone of the Sunday Mirror seemed to be making very similar statements to the one that Charly made above.
It clearly IS a matter of sensible balance.
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For anyone interested, if you search the website of Sunday newspaper The People for Lembit Opik and Katie Green, you’ll find the story entitled:
“Exactly WHY I date oddball MP Lembit”
To be fair, there is NOTHING in the story which gives Lembit Opik’s side of it; its all very much told from Katie’s point of view.
The ‘Say No to Size Zero’ campaign gets approximately one line in the story.
Classy.
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