The news that Ed Balls is to appear on the How to Look Good Naked programme with the fashionista Gok Wan has caused raised eyebrows in Westminster and beyond.
When I spoke to the shadow education secretary at the end of last week, the joke was not lost on him, as he said: “I’ve got to lose a stone in a week and I don’t know how I’m going to do it, and I’m really, really worried about it” — no easy task during a gruelling election campaign of the sort in which he is taking part, as a Labour leadership contender.
But, for the record, Balls explained the context:
What happened was, Gok Wan came to see me when I was [education] secretary of state about something they were going to do around body image, and they wanted to put together a model lesson on body image to be part of PSHE [personal, social, health and economic education], and I said: “That’s brilliant, making PSHE compulsory for all schools. If you go and do the lesson plan I’d love to see it.” And they went and did the lesson plan and then came back a second time and we watched it together.
It’s very, very powerful and very moving and difficult to watch. And I said: “This is superb, the kind of lesson materials we’ll use as part of PSHE.” So the programme’s going out. Sadly at the last minute the Conservatives blocked making PSHE statutory and in fact they are extending the opt-out for academies and free schools in the bill [this week].
So, the contrast between a brilliant lesson plan to help young people and parents when they’re growing up, put together by a notable TV personality but also supported by a Labour government, alongside a piece of legislation that tries to wipe that all away, hopefully will not be lost on people.
Oh, and for anyone worried about tuning in, Balls added:
I keep my clothes on throughout.
For the full interview with Ed Balls see the magazine out later this week.
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