Who to succeed Boris Johnson? They are only five left in the race. Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak was placed in the lead by the Conservative MPs after the second round of internal party voting. 21 votes in front of the surprise of this election: the deputy and Secretary of State for Commerce, Penny Mordaunt, unknown to the general public, but who has become a favorite of conservative activists.
Its slogan is striking, like the irruption of Penny Mordaunt in the campaign to become leader of the Tories in view of the general elections scheduled for 2023: “ We have to win this election. I am your best chance of winning. I am the candidate Labor fears the most. »
But Penny Mordaunt has become equally feared within her own party. With her 83 votes, she overtakes Foreign Minister Liz Truss (64 votes) and is not so far behind former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak (101 votes). And according to a poll, she would be the favorite of conservative activists called to decide between the two finalists by September 5.
First female Minister of Defense
At 49, this straight and loyal politician plays on her patriotic fiber. Member of Parliament since 2010 for a popular constituency in the south of England, a British Navy reservist, she was the first woman appointed Minister of Defence. But above all, Penny Mordaunt speaks to the base of the party. Constant since 2016 on a pro-Brexit line, she remains firm on immigration and promises to fight against soaring prices. “ Weak tax rate, less state, personal responsibility. We have to get back to that, because we have serious challenges ahead “, she says.
But the road to succeeding Boris Johnson on September 5 is still long. He will first have to face a new vote from Conservative MPs on Monday before facing his opponents in three televised debates. And while she’s the activists’ favourite, she faces a significant problem: only 11% of Britons are able to name her by seeing her face, according to a Savanta ComRes study. Some even confuse her with singer Adele.