Penny Mordaunt has come under fire from those supporting Truss in the leadership contest.
Senior members of Truss’s campaign team are claiming that Mordaunt is simply not up to the job, while her credentials are also being questioned in the media.
The Daily Mail whose headline is, “Mordaunt under the microscope” devotes 10 pages to the leadership contest and delves into the claims Mordaunt’s enemies have made about her. This includes questions about her attitude to women and transgender issues, the free press and her Royal Navy credentials – as well as suggesting that she was a “part-time minister”.
The Daily Express reads “Knives out for Penny!” and says there is a “determined bid” amongst Mordaunt’s critics to “wreck” her hopes of becoming prime minister.
Former Brexit minister Lord Frost, who is backing Liz Truss, said he had “grave reservations” about Mordaunt’s capabilities in the role of prime minister.
Lord Frost claimed that Mordaunt was not competent at grasping detail during her time as his deputy and was unable to deliver tough messages. He also said he had to ask Boris Johnson to replace her.
Treasury Secretary Simon Clarke – another Truss backer – said that “Lord Frost’s warning is a really serious one”.
“Conservatives – and, far more importantly, our country – need a leader who is tested and ready”, he said.
Suella Braverman who was eliminated from the process yesterday and is now backing Truss, said Mordaunt had failed to stand up for women and was not an “authentic Brexiteer”.
Mordaunt has been a thorn in Truss’s side throughout the contest, with many urging her to drop out and back Mordaunt who received the second highest amount of MP support in yesterday’s vote.
Truss came in third place, 19 votes behind Mordaunt.
The figures mean it is currently likely she will make it to the final ballot of the contest, along with Rishi Sunak who is currently the front-runner.
