Ex-UK politician: I was bulimic

2008-04-20 14:09

London - Britain's former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, has confessed that he suffered from bulimia in extracts from his autobiography published on Sunday.

Prescott said that he found solace in digestive biscuits, Chinese food, trifle and condensed milk when he was feeling stressed from long hours at work.

"I'd go to the toilet after guzzling, put a finger down my throat and make it all come up. It was surprisingly easy," he wrote in his memoirs, an extract of which was published in the Sunday Times newspaper.

The former amateur boxer said he sought professional help in 1991 and has not suffered from bulimia for more than a year now.

Prescott, 69, made headlines by punching a member of the public on the 2001 general election campaign trail and was known for his often mangled syntax during speeches.

The admission by Tony Blair's former deputy, who stepped down last year, was welcomed by campaigners, who said they hoped it would raise awareness of the condition among men.

- AFP