The leader of any country is only a human being, and like any other human, can succumb to the vagries of the weather and acquire lllnesses together with cough and cold.
While she is fighting for her political life, almost everything that could go wrong for the prime minister did go wrong at the Conservative party conference a couple of weeks ago. A hardy cough and words collapsing behind her mouth meant that few will remember the policy initiatives that she wanted to emphasise. Somebody tried to hand her a P45 form indicating that she should resign from her post. The Chancellor handed her a cough sweet. Media reports suggest that there are others in the party waiting in the wings and too ready to step into her shoes. They are conspiring against her to topple her.
This reminds us of the famous words from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, “Et tu Brute”, meaning you too Brutus? As Brutus was Caesar’s friend and supporter. It appeared that the PM was probably suffering from a bad bout of ‘flu and the cough made it difficult for her to deliver her speech. Now that the ‘flu season is uppon us, we should be prepared to fight it by getting a ‘flu jab. The elderly and those suffering from certain medical conditions get the jab free of charge from their doctors or pharmacies.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
