Criticism of Penny Mordaunt for being too “awake” on issues like trans rights is doomed to fail, the Conservative candidate for leadership has predicted.
The former defense secretary told Sky News that allies of Liz Truss have denied involvement in a ‘black ops’ campaign against her as the race to replace Boris Johnson grows bitter.
“Obviously people are trying to prevent me from getting into the final because they don’t want to race me,” she said in a spirited interview.
It comes as Dame Maria Miller, a financier of Penny Mordaunt for Conservative Leader, said: questions about transgender rights and identity should not be part of the “political struggle”.
Mrs Mordaunt, who is still Surpassing Liz Truss after two votes by Tory MPs, has suffered most from attacks from allies of the Foreign Secretary, most notably former Brexit Secretary Lord Frost.
He described Ms Mordaunt as “absent from parade” when he worked with her on post-Brexit negotiations last year.
Dame Maria dismissed Lord Frost’s criticism and told Sky News he was wrong about Mrs Mordaunt.
“I’ve seen her as a very effective campaigner. She really is one of the main proponents of Brexit and has been throughout the campaign,” he said.
Lady Maria said Mrs Mordaunt hadn’t changed her stance on trans rights during the leadership campaign.
“I don’t think this really — just something that’s so fundamental to some people’s lives, and so sensitive — is really something fit for a leadership struggle. It should happen outside of politics,” she said.
Women ‘Like Me’ Can’t Have a Penis
Madam mordaunt has fought back against criticism that she is too “awake” to lead the conservative party when she launched her leadership campaign by insisting that women “like me” cannot have a penis.
Asked recently how she would tackle the issue of gender identity, she said: “I think we should talk about the cost of living. I think we should talk about health care.
“But let me deal with the issue floating in the background. It was Margaret Thatcher who said ‘every prime minister needs a Willie’. A woman like me doesn’t have one.”
Her previous comments on the trans issue have been scrutinized during this leadership campaign.