The fattest man in the world is apparently living in Ipswich (and, no, he doesn't play for Roy Keane). At 70 stone, Paul Mason is alive and, not surprisingly, unwell.

But let's not underestimate how hard it is to stay so fat. The 48-year-old apparently shoves 20,000 calories into his gob each day, when an intake of no more than 2,500 is recommended. Mason has apparently spent much of the last 8 years in bed, presumably because he finds it too difficult to get out of it.

Now I am no stick insect myself, and am not generally fat-biased, but this man is allegedly costing the UK taxpayer some £100,000-a-year in care costs. And he is now said to need a stomach operation to keep him alive - at a cost of another £20,000. In fact, Mason is so fat, that health chiefs are said to be even considering winching him to hospital in an RAF helicopter. That really does give new meaning to the term 'stuffing the taxpayer'.

But what I find difficult to take in, is that it must cost a fortune to gorge through 20,000 calories a day. Where does Mason get the money from, and why isn't this money used to pay towards his care costs ? If this man wants to eat himself to death, then he surely has the right to do so. But he shouldn't be allowed to do it at our expense!

And isn't there something wrong with a society that pays out £100,000-a-year to care for someone who basically stays at home and eats, yet only pays out £152,000 in compensation to a solider who loses both his legs fighting for his country in Afghanistan ?

Finally, UK Women and Equality Minister Harriet Harman told a Treasury Select Committee this week that business needs to end the 'nightmare of men-only boards'. Many of us in business, however, can't wait for the end of the nightmare which is this politically-correct broad. Harriet Harman will hopefully lose her seat at the next General Election.

Reader Comment

1. 'As a long-suffering Ipswich Town fan, it's clear that Keane should give some thought to putting this chap in goal!'.

2. 'I misread it - thought you were talking about Paul Merson!'

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