However, some senior Tories have criticized her record. Lord Moylan claimed he fired Ms Mordaunt from the council’s communications post because “she was incompetent”.
Earlier this week, Lord Frost accused Ms Mordaunt of being “absent on parade” when they worked together to make Brexit a reality, saying no government of hers “succeeded”.
However, she has followers. Damian Green said that when he was a work and pensions secretary, Ms Mordaunt was an “excellent” secretary of state, calling her “conscientious and innovative”.
As for Brexit, Ms Mordaunt argued that she was the best placed candidate to implement the changes now available with the UK outside the European Union.
When asked if she thought Ms Truss didn’t really believe in Brexit, having voted for Remain in the EU in 2016, Ms Mordaunt said: “Look, she’s a Democrat and I respect that. The Scottish Nats should take a leaf out of her book.
“But I voted for Brexit. I believe in it. I’m passionate about securing the opportunities. It wasn’t just the fact that I left the EU, although that was clearly a deadline and an event.
“Why people voted for it is that they felt that Britain could be itself again outside the EU, that the things they love about this country – our power to change things, our power to make a being a game-changer in the world, the fact that we can maximize our trading opportunities and all the things that we’re known for – that’s what they want us to do. And I think you have to believe in that deeply, if you are going to do it the way they want.”
Ms Truss has said she would have voted for Brexit if she could have held the 2016 referendum again and vowed to embrace the “liberties” from outside the bloc.