UK Prime Minister’s major party reboot plagued by cough and prankster’s intrusion

THE UK Prime Minister was giving the keynote speech at the Tory party conference — but was beset by problems as she set out her vision.

A PESKY cough, a set that fell apart, and a prankster who handed her a fake unemployment notice form overshadowed the UK’s Prime Minister major relaunch today.

Theresa May — who repeatedly coughed and was on the verge of losing her voice — battled her way through her keynote speech to close the Conservative party conference in Manchester, The Sun reports.

She apologised sincerely to Tory activists for the party’s disastrous election results earlier this year as she tried to combat claims she was leading a zombie government.

But during her speech, prankster Simon Brodkin got on stage and gave her a fake P45 — which is given to employees when they stop working — saying, “Boris asked me to give this to you”.

Comedian Simon Brodkin, also known as Lee Nelson confronts British Prime Minister Theresa May during her keynote speech.

The PM took it and put in on the floor next to the podium — before the joker was taken out of the hall.

As he was dragged away by security guards, he shouted: “Boris back me up please!”

MPs have hit out at the dreadful security lapse that left the man near to the Prime Minister for around a minute.

Greater Manchester Police said Brodkin had been arrested — but later announced he had “legitimate accreditation” and was released.

After he had been removed and shouted down by activists, a defiant Mrs May laughed the hiccup off, and joked: “I’d like to talk about someone I’d like to give a P45 to — and that’s (opposition leader) Jeremy Corbyn.”

And in yet another embarrassing blunder, a letter fell off the slogan written on the stage’s backdrop.

But the PM made light of the whole situation by tweeting out a picture of her Strepsils and cough medicine on the table next to her speech.

The P45 said it was ‘issued by’ Boris Johnson.

Under ‘reasons for termination’ it said: “Neither strong nor stable. We are a bit worried about Jezza.” Total tax to date said: “Ask Phillip”.

One Tory minister told The Sun after the speech: “What the f**king f**k, f**k, f**k. F**k.”

No10 said after the incident: “We are expecting there to be a thorough investigation into what’s happened.”

Activists clapped as she tried to clear her throat to continue her rousing speech.

Mrs May — who has had a cough all week — was struggling to speak when Mr Hammond reached up to her and handed her a cough drop.

She then said: “I hope you noticed that — the Chancellor giving something away for free.”

Top Tories were quick to line up to rally around her afterwards — despite the disastrous speech.

They said her cold showed her she was “human” and that she defied the odds to bring the party together.

But one Tory minister told The Sun after the speech: “What the f**king f**k, f**k, f**k. F**k.”

Another Tory MP said: “As Napoleon always asked ... I’m not sure Theresa May is lucky. An opportunity lost and there aren’t many left.”

The mock P45 (employee leaving work or unemployment notice form) was ‘issued by’ Boris Johnson.

And one said it raised serious questions about her leadership: “It’s going to be like 2008 when we watched Labour hang onto Brown and sleepwalk into defeat. We cannot let that happen to us.”

Mrs May admitted it was her fault the Tories lost their majority, telling party members: “I am sorry.”

The Prime Minister laid out her radical plan to build hundreds of thousands of new homes in order to reduce the pressure on house prices.

And she is also finally unveiling the long-promised cap on energy prices to help out struggling consumers.

Promising to deliver the ‘British dream’ to win back young voters from Jeremy Corbyn, the Prime Minister vowed: “The priorities of working people up and down the land ... must be our only focus.”

The Prime Minister made a series of heartfelt pledges including:

Spending £2 billion (A$3.3 billion) on new affordable housing to bring down sky-high home prices

Capping rip-off energy prices so big firms can no longer take advantage of customers

Reforming the university tuition fee system and freezing the maximum amount students pay

Reviewing mental health treatments to help out the vulnerable

Changing the law on organ donations so people will be listed as donors unless they opt out

Listening to the public more to avoid a repeat of the snap election fiasco

And she hit out at Jeremy Corbyn for letting antisemitism, misogyny and hatred run free in Labour.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission