A child of what was once known as “Dundee’s fat family” says he wants to be First Minister of Scotland – and won’t let his troubled background stop him.
Tony Anderson – the eldest of the seven kids taken into care a decade ago – has opened up on living with the cruel label and the impact the ordeal has had on him.
A dark period in the 26-year-old’s life saw him imprisoned for a spell in 2016.
But Tony has turned his life around and is now studying politics at Glasgow University – with ambitions of one day leading the country.
He said: “What happened to our family was just so sad for all of us and we are all still trying to come out the other side.”
Tony is the latest member of the Anderson family to lift the lid on their tragic, and unique, story.
In 2008, his parents Andrew and Pamela were told their children were overweight and would be taken into care if they didn’t shed the pounds.
Within three years, all seven had been removed from the family home and either adopted or fostered.
At the time, Dundee City Council insisted kids would not be taken into care purely for weight issues.
Ten years on, dad Andrew and daughter Kerry-Ann – Tony’s sister – spoke exclusively to The Courier about the harrowing events.
That prompted Tony to come forward and tell his story.
Home life was ‘toxic’
He said: “I really didn’t have a happy childhood – our home life was pretty toxic and destructive.
“There were so many children very close in age and we were all vying for our parents’ attention.
“Toys were thrown, there were holes in the walls and in some cases the behaviour was downright dangerous.”
Tony says there was also tension between some of the children and their parents.
He added: “I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad and wasn’t happy at home.
“In fact, things got so bad that, even before we were all taken away from our parents, I made up my own mind to try to get out of that house.”
At 12 years old, Tony decided the best way to do that was to “play up” and so his troublesome behaviour began.
He said: “We already had social workers involved with our family so I thought if I was naughty enough they would intervene and remove me.
“I threw something at my dad and I ended up in front of the children’s panel.
“I subsequently spent the next three and a half years in a succession of children’s homes in Dundee.
“It was a calculated decision and a cry for help – I wanted out of that house.”
Weight issues
As a child, Tony knew he was overweight and this played a key part in his unhappiness.
He said: “When I was 12, I weighed 16 stone.
“My weight went up to 24 stone at one point and I currently weigh 18 stone. But I am still working to control it.”
His mum Pamela, who died in 2017, was an incredible home cook. But danger, from a weight perspective, lay in the family’s snack cupboard.
Tony – who says his parents were unwilling to admit there was an issue – said: “It had everything in it and was always full.
“There were crisps, sweets, chocolate, biscuits and fizzy drinks.
“We all had access to that and we regularly snacked between meals.”
When social services got involved, the family were moved into a supported unit run by the Dundee Families Project at a reported cost of over £100,000.
The lives – and weights – of the children were monitored but according to social services the kids remained “dangerously overweight”.
At meal times, it’s claimed a social worker would stand in the room taking notes.
Tony added: “I don’t really blame the social workers for what happened – although I will never believe they went about things the right way.”
Prison sentence
The politics student says he went “off the rails” for a time and had run-ins with the law.
One came after he threatened to stab his brother Andrew, who has also opened up on his childhood in an interview with The Courier.
That same year, Tony was a Year of Young People (YoYP) ambassador and he had previously won a Young Scot award.
Youth Parliament
He was also a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament in Dundee in 2016 and ran for election again in 2017, hoping to represent Edinburgh Northern and Leith.
During his time representing young people in the City of Discovery, he campaigned to eradicate youth homelessness in the city and provide safe and affordable homes.
He has also drawn on his own experiences, advocating for young people who have grown up in the care system and regularly talking about his body confidence issues.
Tony said: “I was in a bad place but I feel I have now moved on and am using my experiences up until now to try to build a better life for myself.
“I am not making excuses for my criminal offences but my childhood undoubtedly played a big part in making me behave the way I did.
“However, I have served my time and want to put all that behind me and move forward.”
He added: “I want to be Scotland’s First Minister. I want to represent people in general.
“I’m a fan of Nicola Sturgeon. I’ve waited a long time to come to university and I will aim for the top.
“I have loads of ambition.”
‘Mum and I had an amazing relationship in later life’
And he continues to cherish the bond he had with his mother Pamela, who died from leukaemia four years ago, following their reunion.
Tony said: “Mum and I had an amazing relationship in later life, after she and dad separated she and I lived together for a while in Edinburgh.
“I really struggled after she died.
“If I had to blame any one thing for what happened to us I would say that it was the inability to accept there was a problem.
“This was made worse by the unwillingness to accept help and address these issues.”
Asked about their handling of the Anderson family, a spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “We do not comment on individual cases, particularly those involving vulnerable adults and children.”
How cruel ‘fat family’ label led to decade of pain for Dundee dad and daughter