FASHION INDUSTRY'S STARVATION ARMY IS PUTTING WOMEN'S HEALTH AT RISK

3.54.01pm GMT Fri 9th Feb 2007

Speaking ahead of London Fashion Week, Dee Doocey, Liberal Democrat Culture Spokesperson on the London Assembly, has condemned the British Fashion Council for failing to protect the health of young girls by refusing to ban models with a BMI of less then 18 from its catwalks next week.

Dee has been in discussions with representatives of model agencies and fashion magazines about the wider problem of seriously underweight models.

Dee Doocey said:

"I have spent the last two months trying to get all the key industry players to follow the example of Madrid Fashion Week and stop using models with a BMI of less than 18. Some have politely declined to get involved, others have simply failed to reply. I have had to face the fact that they just do not care. 

'The industry makes all the right noises in public by issuing endless statements of concern, but the sad reality is that not one of them is prepared to do something about it. They are all terrified of putting their head above the parapet and are more concerned about losing a bit of money than the fact one in forty women in this country has an eating disorder. They are all an absolute disgrace.   

'I am now working on persuading the sponsors of London Fashion Week to withdraw their funding."