Enny Mordaunt has said she is the candidate for Tory leadership, “Labour most fears”, as she launched her campaign amid a battle to remain candidates for votes.
The eight remaining candidates – Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Ms Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt, Nadhim Zahawi and Suella Braverman – struggled Wednesday morning to win the support of at least 30 MPs to get through the first round of voting – results expected at 5 p.m.
“I am one of the best prepared candidates in this competition,” she said at the launch.
It comes as Mr Sunak‘s bid to be Tory leader and prime minister moved forward on Wednesday with the support of Health Secretary Steve Barclay.
The support of Brexiteer Barclay, of Lancashire and representative of North East Cambridgeshire, is another sign that Sunak has won over MPs from across the country. He is now believed to have the support of at least about 50 MPs.
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Braverman: May the best Tory win
Conservative leadership candidate Suella Braverman appeared in high spirits when she arrived at the 92 Group hustings.
“May the best Conservative win,” she said when she arrived.
Ms. Braverman praised the “great array of talent” and said she enjoyed the competition.
“We will unite behind the one who wins, honestly and sincerely.”
Mordaunt: I know what a biological woman is
When asked if she will continue the “war on wake”, Ms Mordaunt said she believes the country should talk about the cost of living crisis.
She points to the ongoing debate over her support for trans rights, which has become a key issue for Tory MPs during the leadership contest.
“Margarat Thatcher once said that every prime minister has aw*****. As a woman, I can tell you I don’t have one.”
When asked how she would define a woman, she says, “If you’ve served in the Navy, you understand the biological difference between men and women.”
Mordaunt: I am the candidate that Labor most fears
“I am the candidate that Labor is most afraid of,” said Ms Mordaunt.
“I am one of the best prepared candidates in this competition. I have served in a large number of ministerial positions and in the private sector.
“I’ve thought deeply about where our country stands.”
Tories ‘have stamina’, says Mordaunt
“My party has been through a lot, but we have stamina,” she says, highlighting the stoicism of the British people during the Covid pandemic.
“I can and we will deliver,” she adds.
Mordaunt: I will tackle the NHS backlog
Ms Mordaunt pledges to tackle the NHS backlog and “stagnation” in housing construction.
“I want to align the government planning cycles of those in business and charity that are already aligned. This gives us tremendous opportunities to co-finance and do more for our citizens.”
British public ‘tired of divisive politics’, says Mordaunt
Ms Mordaunt says the British public is “tired of divisive politics”.
“Whitehall is broken… we need a tighter cabinet, ministers of state who have clear and timely results that are powerful and span Whitehall.”
She promises to “modernize government” and move “at the speed science and business need us to”.
“My main fiscal rule is that debt as a percentage of GDP will decline over time… and my supply-side reforms will deliver a Brexit dividend.”
Mordaunt: VK doesn’t need a new role in the world
Penny Mordaunt has started a campaign speech in Westminster.
She opens her speech by emphasizing the “duty and sacrifice” of those in the British Army who served in the Falklands War.
“We don’t need a new role in the world, we just have to be ourselves,” she says.
Pictured: Rishi Sunak leaves for leadership hunts
Tugendhat takes thinly veiled swipe at Sunak over defense spending
Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat gave a thinly veiled swipe at leadership rival Rishi Sunak when he pledged to increase defense spending.
Former army officer Tugendhat spoke out after Sunak refused to guarantee increases in defense funding as part of national income.
Mr Tugendhat, who has committed to spending 3% of gross domestic product – a measure of the size of the economy – on defense and security, said: “We will never question the security of our country because of bean counters and spreadsheet.
“Security always comes before spreadsheets.”
Asked if he was aiming for Mr. Sunak, he said, “I’m not going to name names, it’s absolutely up to you to look really closely at where people talk about different things and see where people set their goals.”
Patel withdraws from Select Committee
Home Secretary Priti Patel has withdrawn from a roster by the Select Committee of Home Affairs.
The Committee confirmed that Ms Patel “refused to attend our session”.
The reasons why remain unclear so far.