Lying about her health has backfired on Hillary Clinton and exposed her dismal judgement

HILLARY CLINTON’S recent shocking collapse has put the health of all our politicians in the spotlight.

She bounced back this week and has taken great pains to claim that she’s as fit as a flea.

But there are still question marks hanging over her possible fragility.

The official line was that Hillary ignored her doctor’s warning to rest after she contracted pneumonia, which then caused her to feel faint and almost pass out.

Of course, her illness was pounced on by her opponent Donald Trump as proof she was too poorly for the demanding job of US President.

Much as I hate to admit it, maybe old Shredded Wheat-head has a point of sorts.

Being the leader of the free world is brutal. You have unimaginable levels of stress as well as sleepless nights and interrupted meals.

And when travelling abroad there is even more fatigue, as well as coping with jet lag.

You need to be sharp, in control and firing on all cylinders 24/7.

Making the wrong decision can cause catastrophes.

Hillary showed dismal judgement by ignoring her illness and trying to soldier on regardless, certainly mindful that Trump and the baying media hounds would jump on any sign of weakness.

But now her not being transparent about her health has backfired horribly and she has allowed a big, fat can of worms to be opened questioning her fitness for office.

It has also resulted in some way-out and wacky conspiracy theories, with the usual suspects claiming she has actually died and is being impersonated by a lookalike.

That’s clearly in the land of the fruit-loops but it does illustrate the kind of pressure Hillary is under.

Trump made a point of revealing the state of his health a few days ago and, apart from being overweight, the old warhorse is apparently in good shape.

Our own PM, Theresa May, has a serious illness and although she is a head-girl type who doesn’t want any fuss about being diabetic, she’s also full to the brim with common sense and makes sure she manages her condition properly.

She eats sensibly and, as we saw from her holiday snaps, takes regular exercise.

I’m sure Mrs May will have regular check-ups and try to manage her workload with her customary efficiency.

Not everyone is as organised.

Gordon Brown looked knackered when he was PM and former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told me this week that he put on weight during his time in the coalition government.

Nick was told in no uncertain terms by the blunt Lib Dem veteran Paddy Ashdown that he had grown fat and needed to get in shape.

But late nights, long hours and takeaway meals play havoc with your physique and your general health.

In fact, Nick’s strong advice to all potential MPs is first and foremost to keep healthy and take care of yourself, as you need the constitution of a pit pony to survive in modern politics.

Years ago, prime minsters like Winston Churchill — who suffered from depression, drank like a fish and was a heart attack waiting to happen — obviously weren’t subject to the same levels of scrutiny.

The American public were blithely unaware that President Franklin D Roosevelt used a wheelchair behind closed doors while he was at the White House from 1933 to 1945.

In these days of 24-hour news and social media, politicians have to keep their guard up and cannot show any sign of being unwell. I think this is a real shame.

They are human beings who will catch cold, become anxious, suffer hangovers and won’t look bright and shiny all of the time.

Unless they suffer from a condition that will seriously affect their judgment, we should cut them some slack.

ADELE SHOULD STAY ON SONG

ADELE has apparently said she won’t do another tour for a decade because she wants to spend more time with her son.

Three-year-old Angelo starts school next year and Adele will not be able to take him along for the ride if she were to embark on another world tour.

She’s a down-to-earth woman and wants her boy to have as normal a life as possible.

Of course, Adele is rich and successful enough not to ever have to work another day, and obviously has her priorities right.

But I wonder if it’s a decision she might live to regret.

A lot of working mums don’t have a choice and their job is vital for keeping the family above water, especially if they are single mothers.

Adele, however, can have the best of both worlds and I’m sure her record company would arrange her schedule to include long weekends and holidays to let their most successful artist perform one-off gigs or short tours anywhere she chooses.

Angelo is the most important thing in her life, but Adele is also an artist and a performer.

But like all working mums who love their job, I think she’d be an even better mother if she keeps doing what makes her happy.

SHAME ON TERRI TROLLS

I HAVE followed Terri Calvesbert’s story over the years and been humbled by her bravery, resilience and lack of bitterness.

When she was a baby, Terri suffered horrific burns on 90 per cent of her body when her mother left a lit cigarette in her bedroom, which turned into an inferno.

No one expected Terri, now 19, to pull through, but she has shown the most amazing spirit and zest for life.

She has had to bear the pain of more than 50 operations – and did so with admirable stoicism – but this week Terri was reduced to tears by the horribly dark underbelly of social media.

A moronic troll posted a deeply offensive comment on Facebook about Terri’s appearance which was cruel and shameful.

Terri has quite rightly responded by calling on the Government to take action against the growing plague of cyber-bullying.

She doesn’t want anyone else to be hurt, damaged or in despair because of vile comments spewing from the phones and computers of trolls.

She certainly has my full backing and I think those responsible should be named, shamed and severely punished.

Terri might be disfigured and scarred on the outside, but inside she is a pure and beautiful soul – unlike the ugly, black-hearted excuse for a human being who insulted her.

CHANNEL 4 DOUGH SPENT ON A TENT

I’VE always maintained that middle-class village fete cake competitions were a toxic mix of fear and loathing topped off with a large dollop of green-eyed jealousy.

Just look at what has happened in the genteel world of TV’s Bake Off, which has been sold off to the highest bidder.

The delightful Mel and Sue who gave this sweet sponge a much-needed squeeze of tart lemon, have decided they don’t want to “go with the dough” and I hope the BBC rewards their loyalty with another prime-time ratings hit.

The two other key elements, judges Mary and Paul, are yet to declare their intentions.

There have been suggestions that the four of them should just do another baking show for the Beeb under a completely new name, a bit like Jeremy Clarkson’s “Not Top Gear”, which will be coming to Amazon soon.

The magic and charm of Bake Off is down to all of the ingredients coming together to make the perfect soufflé.

If something is missing, it won’t taste the same – and if the presenters and judges we love aren’t part of the mix, it looks like Channel 4 will have paid a king’s ransom for a big old empty tent.