WELL OK, maybe The Magic Numbers were a little bit over sensitive when they walked out of Top of the Pops after presenter Richard Bacon made a pretty feeble remark about their size. But you have to see their point of view. Fat people are considered fair game.

Over indulge in drink and you're considered a real party animal. Drugs are still thought by many to be cool. How else could we have heroin chic? - all sunken eyes, skinny arms and cheek bones like razors.

Spend too much time in the gym and people might think you're obsessed - but they'll still be in awe of your dedication and admire the results.

Spend all your days shopping and if you're the Beckhams or Colleen McLoughlin you get acres of newsprint and photos and set a whole new footballers' wives fashion craze.

Get addicted to spending, have no control over your spending or borrowing and many sympathisers will blame the banks for lending you the money rather than you for borrowing it.

All those are signs of self indulgence, of obsession, of natural human weakness. And all are eyed with sympathy and understanding or even downright envy. But if your natural weakness runs to fat, if you can pinch more than an inch, then you're on your way to being a social pariah.

Just look at some of the pictures that have been in the tabloids and gossip magazines this summer - celebrities, politicians caught on their hols in their cossies. Cellulite, spare tyres, middle-aged paunches are all considered fair game. They're on their hols for goodness' sake. Aren't they allowed to relax a little? And since when did we expect our politicians to look like models?

In a world where traditional morals and values have been turned upside down, over eating has become a sin - one of the few that there are. Other faults and indulgences can be waved aside. But fat is a moral issue.

So you can see why The Magic Numbers got hacked off and walked out.

One day, of course, it will change again. I look forward to that day. But I fear there's a long way to go before the height - or width - of fashion is chubby chocolate chic.

THE NHS is having to recruit doctors from abroad to cover weekend shifts for GPs. Junior house doctors are still working extremely long hours for those with people's lives in their hands.

Surgeons are giving up their holidays to reduce waiting lists.

Meanwhile, because of changes in the system, newly qualified doctors can't get jobs to finish their training and many are considering going abroad.

What ever happened to joined up government?

Published: ??/??/2004