Penny Mordaunt could shut down the Tory leadership rumours instantly — her silence is telling
Two prime ministers in the space of two years may be a disagreeable necessity. Three starts to look like Italy. But four? Four! The very possibility that the Tory party, even given its well-known ruthlessness, may present the nation with another unelected leader before the election is, in the words of Sir David Davis, “completely bonkers”.
And Sir David is worth listening to, because he led Penny Mordaunt’s leadership campaign when she ran against Rishi Sunak, and it is Penny Mordaunt who is being talked about as a challenger for the leadership.
Over the weekend a couple of papers ran the story without attribution. The natural response of someone taken unawares by an unwelcome rumour would be to scotch it instantly. A statement from Miss Mordaunt would have seen it off but so far she’s only made a token effort to deny it, through “allies”.
Mordaunt’s got no coherent political ideology and on previous form she’s as woke as it’s possible for a Tory to get
But Penny M has been on manoeuvres for some time, what with her drinks parties for Tory MPs and her assiduous courting of constituency associations. Now she tops the popularity ratings on the Conservative Home website.
It’s not hard to see why she might be tempted. If recent polling for the Tories is accurate, her 16,000 majority in Portsmouth won’t save her in the election.
But let’s remind ourselves just why Mordaunt is not the answer to whatever the question is. Granted, during the Coronation when she carried an 8lb sword for 51 minutes, she looked regal; she’s a feisty Commons performer.
She’s still a terrible prospect as PM. She’s got no coherent political ideology and on previous form she’s as woke as it’s possible for a Tory to get. Her liberal stance on trans issues puts her at odds with her own party. One of her supporters suggested that she might somehow farm out these issues to others were she PM, but that’s not how the office works.
It’s not surprising that the Tory mood is febrile and may turn to outright panic after the May elections. But changing leader won’t endear the party to the electorate. Penny Mordaunt is not the solution. Can’t she say so?
Melanie McDonagh is an Evening Standard columnist
