Tory supporters should curb their enthusiasm for Penny Mordaunt

A confession: Penny Mordaunt was my teenage political crush. Publicly admitting that would be rather more embarrassing if the performance of the Leader of the House of Commons at the coronation didn’t have my fellow Conservatives infatuated. God knows what my 15-year-old self would have made of her eye-catching role on Saturday, but many Tory supporters were suitably impressed.

As soon as she appeared in ceremonial battledress, ‘Oh my Gods’ at her outfit mixed with tweets of appreciation for her remarkable ability to carry a weighty sword for an hour. Comparisons have been drawn to other formidable women: Boudica, Athena, and Britney Spears. She may not have been crowned this weekend but we have a new Queen of Tory hearts. 

Some Conservatives grumpy with Rishi Sunak after the local elections undoubtedly wish Mordaunt hadn’t played her part in his coronation last October by dropping out.  The bookmakers certainly think so: Ladbrokes have slashed her odds on her replacing the Prime Minister from 8/1 to 13/2, making her second favourite behind Kemi Badenoch.