Posted on 13 July 2016 - 06:56pm
Betrayal is the common theme in all three dramas. Egged on by his ambitious wife, Macbeth murders Duncan, king of Scotland, potential rival, Banquo, as well as the wife and children of another patrician Macduff. In a battle led by Malcolm, Duncan's son, Macbeth is slain by a vengeful Macduff.
Instigated by Cassius who falsely claims Julius Caesar harbours hopes of becoming king, Brutus murders his long-time friend. In his funeral oration for Caesar, Mark Anthony succeeds in turning the masses against Brutus and Cassius. Caesar's adopted son Octavius joins Anthony in successfully waging war against Cassius and Brutus and the latter two effectively commit suicide.
Roman general, Coriolanus, defeats his Volscian counterpart, Tullus Aufidius. Arrogant and contemptuous of the masses, Coriolanus refuses to appeal for popular support to become consul of Rome and is banished from the city.
A vengeful Coriolanus allies with Aufidius and is on the verge of destroying Rome when his mother, Volumnia, persuades him to spare his former home. Coriolanus' peace treaty with Rome angers Aufidius who executes the Roman general.
Top campaigners for Brexit were two prominent Conservative Party members – former London mayor and a popular politician, Boris Johnson, and Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Three themes in the Brexit campaign make compelling reading for Malaysian politicians.
First, a leader's worst enemy isn't political rivals but allies professing loyalty and friendship.
Second, an unfettered and non-partisan press is a top political leader's most valuable asset.
Third, victory today can result in defeat tomorrow.
Johnson and Gove's decision to support Brexit severed their long personal connections with now former prime minister, David Cameron, who spearheaded the battle for Britain to remain in the EU.
Johnson was head boy and Cameron his junior at the renowned public school Eton. Both attended Oxford University and were members of the Bullingdon Club – described as "an exclusive band of wealthy students who hold grand banquets and vandalised restaurants".
Although Gove wasn't an Etonian, he was also a student at Oxford where he met Johnson. After helping Johnson to become president of the Oxford Union debating society, Gove won the same post.
Gove's personal ties to Cameron were even stronger – he was godfather to the premier's severely disabled eldest son, Ivan, who died in 2009.
Prompted by an ambitious wife, Sarah Vine, Gove effected a double betrayal – against Cameron and later against his Brexit ally Johnson. After losing the Brexit referendum, Cameron immediately announced his resignation. Johnson was the bookmakers' favourite to become the next inhabitant of 10 Downing Street.
On June 30, two hours and 28 minutes before Johnson was scheduled to announce the launch of his endeavour to become Tory party leader and premier, Gove withdrew his support and launched his own bid for power.
Some analysts believe the first perfidy was Cameron's. In July 2014, on the advice of his adviser, Cameron sacked Gove as education minister.
After winning the 2015 election, Cameron promoted Gove to justice secretary. This peacekeeping offering failed to deter Gove from becoming the first Conservative heavyweight to back Brexit.
As an intellectual, Gove lent gravitas to a Brexit campaign dominated by the twin emotive issues of immigration and British sovereignty.
At 6pm on June 29, Johnson's team were confident of victory, claiming they had support from 97 Conservative MPs "locked in solid", Mardell wrote.
Like Caesar, Johnson's team dismissed as "rubbish" a journalist's warning – conveyed at 8.35am on June 30 – that Gove was "jumping ship". Five minutes later, the Johnson team learnt the news first-hand from Gove.
That Johnson's camp refused to believe the journalist's warning of betrayal is a common foible among politicians who prefer to rely on their own political findings, no matter how flawed.
Johnson was forced to announce his withdrawal from the leadership battle. Enraged, one supporter, MP Ben Wallace, promised Gove would be like Theon Greyjoy, a character from Game of Thrones who is tortured and castrated.
After two rounds of voting by Conservative MPs, Gove was eliminated when his support slipped by two to 46 votes. Johnson's camp clearly backed another Brexit supporter, junior Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom whose tally was boosted to 84 votes in the second round. However, this was less than half that of frontrunner Home Secretary Theresa May's 199 votes.
Although Brexit campaigners won the referendum, they lost the ultimate political prize – to become Tory leader and UK premier.
Another major irony is the forthcoming Brexit negotiations will be led, not by one of its supporters, but by May who backed the Remain campaign – yet another salient reminder that today's victor may well be tomorrow's victim.
http://www.thesundaily.my/node/380387
