Behind May, a slogan "building a country that works for everyone," literally fell apart during the speech when two letters fell down. Losing her voice, the Prime Minister also suffered an uncontrollable coughing fit.
Hi @BorisJohnson, I gave Theresa her P45 just like you asked. pic.twitter.com/gzW0UluDMv
— Simon Brodkin (@simonbrodkin) 4 октября 2017 г.
The disaster was topped off by a prankster who handed May her P45, a tax form which employees in the UK receive when they are fired or resign from their employment.
Prankster Lee Nelson was at it again today this time handing Theresa May a P45 during her cough speech…😂pic.twitter.com/kD64eGn9O7
— BenchWarmers ⚽️ (@BeWarmers) 4 октября 2017 г.
The prankster’s P45, found by May’s lectern pic.twitter.com/RNVcqY9jXj
— Robert Peston (@Peston) 4 октября 2017 г.
On Twitter, May tried to make light of the disastrous performance, but many commentators agreed that that the speech was a fiasco.
*coughs* pic.twitter.com/1b6CoW5Mrz
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) 4 октября 2017 г.
Credit to Theresa May for somehow battling on.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) 4 октября 2017 г.
But P45, lost voice & set collapsing makes this biggest speech fiasco in political history. pic.twitter.com/uCu9drXJKR
May's speech was so cringe-inducing that some observers felt sorry for the Prime Minister. Others were pitiless, bearing in mind her attacks on her opponent, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Theresa May's car crash speech seems to have taken the flak away from Boris Johnson and his horrific comments on clearing Lybian bodies away to build a resort, lest we forget…#SackBorisJohnson
— PeskyOldPleb (@PeskyOldGit) 4 октября 2017 г.
Confirmation that conversations about her staying on after that speech are already taking place, but others say huge sympathy will help her
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) 4 октября 2017 г.
The speech itself was May's most personal public address, in which she talked about her decision to go into politics and lifelong service to the Conservative Party. In her speech to the faithful, she apologized for the decision to hold a general election in June, which cost the party its parliamentary majority.
It wasn't May's fault that she lost her voice or stage began to fall apart but neither would have happened if she had won big at election.
— steve richards (@steverichards14) 4 октября 2017 г.
Someone has sent me a plausible theory about what happened to the letters. Also maybe the awkwardness caused people to get hot. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8iVzubHvM8
— Owen Jones🌹 (@OwenJones84) 4 октября 2017 г.
Can I just point out that Theresa May is wearing a bracelet of Frida Kahlo, a member of the Communist party who LITERALLY DATED TROTSKY pic.twitter.com/CR13geaO7n
— HannahJane Parkinson (@ladyhaja) 4 октября 2017 г.
She offered several new policies, including pledges to build more houses, cap energy bills and review student university fees and loans.
cough..I am sure I've have heard this somewhere before. https://t.co/oay7AgZD3C
— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) 4 октября 2017 г.
A freeze on energy prices was previously pledged by former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband in 2013, but fiercely criticized by Conservatives. Then-leader David Cameron told Miliband, "You want to live in some sort of Marxist universe where you control these things but you need a basic lesson in economics."
I think Theresa May should call an election. The world has just witnessed the last few days & that speech just topped it off. No confidence.
— Rachael (@Rachael_Swindon) 4 октября 2017 г.
Those many Tories who firmly believe Mrs May should never be allowed to fight another election will now be immutable on the matter.
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) 4 октября 2017 г.
However, given the negative reception to the speech, it is questionable whether May will remain in office long enough to keep her promises.
