PM4PM? Penny Mordaunt rises through ranks to vie for UK leadership

Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt is second behind ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership race

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced last week to announce his resignation after a wave of ministerial resignations

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Published: 12:38pm, 14 Jul 2022Updated: 12:19am, 15 Jul 2022

Penny Mordaunt has held several senior posts in UK government and even appeared on a celebrity reality television show, but is still little known beyond Westminster and her ruling Conservatives.

However, her ministerial experience – including serving briefly as Britain’s first female defence secretary – her credentials as a Brexit backer from the outset and punchy performances in parliament means she has now emerged as a top leadership contender.

The UK Conservative Party held its second ballot on Thursday in the contest to elect their new leader and Britain’s next prime minister, with ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Mordaunt cementing their positions as the front runners.

The remaining field of contenders was whittled down to five, including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, – as Attorney General Suella Braverman was knocked out after Thursday’s vote among Tory MPs, Further votes are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, until a final two have been selected.

Mordaunt, the 49-year-old junior trade minister, has topped several recent polls of the Conservative Party members who will ultimately choose their next leader – and as a result prime minister. She has also attracted strong support from her fellow Conservative MPs.

If Mordaunt were to win the leadership race, it would cap a remarkable rise for the low profile politician, whose face is only recognised by one in 10 people, according to a SavantaComRes poll published Wednesday.