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A government minister in full hectoring mode is rarely a pretty sight. Melanie Johnson, the public health minister, may have more about her than most of those who have donned the mantle of the nation's "nanny" but I confess to feeling a terrible temptation to reach for a packet of crisps and a glass of wine every time she tut-tuts about our lifestyles.

Her first intervention as MPs returned to Westminster was the launch of some pilot projects in schools to improve children's diets. Her second was a short debate on the iniquities of marketing alcoholic drinks. Both confirmed that the words "obesity" and "binge-drinking" will be a daily feature of this year's political agenda.


In December, Derek Wanless's report, Securing Good Health for the Whole Population, made chilling reading. This was preceded by the National Audit Office's equally depressing report, which predicted that obesity will cost the nation £3.6bn a year by 2010.

Meanwhile, the government is about to launch its alcohol harm-reduction strategy. From early intelligence, this looks like delivering one of those classic Daily Mail front pages, full of talk of "time bombs", death and destruction, all no doubt accompanied by a photograph of dishevelled, scantily clad young girls considerably the worse for wear.

These problems certainly exist. But ministerial scare tactics rarely succeed in changing people's lifestyles.

My own (Conservative) party and the Lib Dems face the challenge of avoiding this particular bandwagon and focusing instead on practical policies, which provide safe and clean outdoor spaces and on directing resources to those who are ill or afflicted in some way through no fault of their own.


A visitor to my council surgery recently complained that politicians made her feel guilty for not making her teenage children take more exercise. "But how can I send my two off to the park if they're likely to be offered drugs or mugged - or worse. And who would be blamed if that happened?", she complained.

What is even more perverse about this ministerial tendency to try to dictate the nation's behaviour is the implication that individuals cannot be expected or trusted to take responsibility for their own actions. Of course, professionals can influence individuals or specific groups who are harming themselves and those around them. And, naturally, politicians should be working for environments which encourage healthy lifestyles.

But I am not convinced that one inch is lost off a waistline, or any fewer harmful substances ingested, because a minister pontificates about the dangers.

Sheila Gunn is a political commentator and a councillor in the London Borough of Camden.