Cabinet Minister Eric Pickles branded threats by NHS chiefs in Devon 'un-British' Heavyweight Tory MP Eric Pickles has spoken frankly about his battle to shed the pounds. The burly Cabinet Minister revealed he had been on a diet since April and even disclosed that his body mass index (BMI) was 32, and falling. Sources last night said the Local Government Secretary had lost more than two stone in the past six months. His frank remarks surprised friends, because Mr Pickles famously prefers not to discuss his weight in public – despite being regularly mocked by friends and foes alike for his 'well-upholstered' appearance. The comments came as he condemned NHS chiefs in Devon for threatening to ban smokers and heavily overweight people from routine operations unless they quit tobacco or lose weight. Mr Pickles, 62, branded the plan 'anathema' and un-British. He said: 'The NHS is in our DNA. The idea that you would say 'You will not survive, you've had your chips, you are too fat, you smoke too much…' It's not the kind of Britain I recognise.' Speaking on BBC radio, he added: 'I'm a biggish guy. Admittedly, there's an awful lot less of me than there was on April 16 when I started this process of losing weight.' Asked whether he would fall foul of the Devon NHS plan to deny routine operations to anyone with a BMI of 35 – the index is a way of measuring people's weight relative to their height – Mr Pickles replied: 'Not now, thank God. It's 32.' He added: 'It's really hard to diet. I have not really mentioned it but I have decided to do something about it. I walk 8km [five miles] a day, I watch what I eat. It does work.' A source said Mr Pickles had avoided the now-celebrated 'five-two' diet used by Chancellor George Osborne to reduce his girth. The source added: 'Eric simply watches what he eats, he skips a starter at a meal – that sort of thing. And he walks a lot. He's lost over two stone.' NHS chiefs in Devon have threatened to ban smokers and heavily overweight people from routine operations unless they quit tobacco or lose weight .
Conservative Cabinet Minister Eric Pickles has been on a diet since April .
Sources say the Tory has lost two stone in the past six months .
Pickles branded a move by NHS chiefs in Devon 'anathema' and 'un-British'
The trust has threatened to ban heavily overweight from routine operations .
Cabinet Minister Eric Pickles branded threats by NHS chiefs in Devon 'un-British' Heavyweight Tory MP Eric Pickles has spoken frankly about his battle to shed the pounds. The burly Cabinet Minister revealed he had been on a diet since April and even disclosed that his body mass index (BMI) was 32, and falling. Sources last night said the Local Government Secretary had lost more than two stone in the past six months. His frank remarks surprised friends, because Mr Pickles famously prefers not to discuss his weight in public – despite being regularly mocked by friends and foes alike for his 'well-upholstered' appearance. The comments came as he condemned NHS chiefs in Devon for threatening to ban smokers and heavily overweight people from routine operations unless they quit tobacco or lose weight. Mr Pickles, 62, branded the plan 'anathema' and un-British. He said: 'The NHS is in our DNA. The idea that you would say 'You will not survive, you've had your chips, you are too fat, you smoke too much…' It's not the kind of Britain I recognise.' Speaking on BBC radio, he added: 'I'm a biggish guy. Admittedly, there's an awful lot less of me than there was on April 16 when I started this process of losing weight.' Asked whether he would fall foul of the Devon NHS plan to deny routine operations to anyone with a BMI of 35 – the index is a way of measuring people's weight relative to their height – Mr Pickles replied: 'Not now, thank God. It's 32.' He added: 'It's really hard to diet. I have not really mentioned it but I have decided to do something about it. I walk 8km [five miles] a day, I watch what I eat. It does work.' A source said Mr Pickles had avoided the now-celebrated 'five-two' diet used by Chancellor George Osborne to reduce his girth. The source added: 'Eric simply watches what he eats, he skips a starter at a meal – that sort of thing. And he walks a lot. He's lost over two stone.' NHS chiefs in Devon have threatened to ban smokers and heavily overweight people from routine operations unless they quit tobacco or lose weight .
Cabinet Minister Eric Pickles branded threats by NHS chiefs in Devon 'un-British' Heavyweight Tory Minister revealed he had been on a diet since than two stone in the past six months. His frank and heavily overweight people from routine 'anathema' and un-British. He said: 'The NHS is Devon have threatened to ban smokers and heavily overweight people from routine operations unless