The Daily Telegraph - Saturday
Is the Penny mightier than her sword…? Time will tell
Ben Riley-Smith, Lauren Shirreff
Genevieve Holl-Allen
By and
IN the eyes of Sir Keir Starmer, Penny Mordaunt is dangling “the sword of Damocles” over Rishi Sunak’s head as Tory MPs mull over whether to once again switch leader.
But the truth, it turns out, is far more mundane.
A wooden sword inscribed in ink with Ms Mordaunt’s signature raised more in a charity auction hosted by the University of Warwick Conservative Association last June than any other item. Retailing at about £14, it ended up going for £350.
Indeed, the gift from the woman touted by some as a future Conservative leader beat objects linked to two former prime ministers at auction: Boris Johnson’s signed wine bottles and a cutout of Margaret Thatcher.
The sword is a nod to the source of Ms Mordaunt’s moment in the limelight last year: her role at the coronation of King Charles, when she held aloft the sword of state for hours, dressed in regal blue. It emerged as
can reveal the full scale of Ms Mordaunt’s buttering up of Tory members as speculation swirls about her leadership ambitions.
The House of Commons Leader has made no fewer than 40 trips to Tory association events across the UK since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.
She has travelled north to Glasgow, Bolton, the Ribble Valley and Altrincham, west to Anglesey, Brecon and Somerset, as well as to many spots closer to Parliament in the home counties.
On the face of it, the gatherings are all for the Conservative Party cause – raising money for the local associations through dinners at golf clubs or a speech then drinks.
But Tory colleagues long in the tooth have always viewed such activity with raised eyebrows, knowing it is party members who ultimately have the final say in future leadership contests.
It is the frequency that stands out. Ms Mordaunt has stopped by a Tory association other than her own no fewer than once every 13 days under the Sunak premiership.
Three more dates are already in the diary for April and May. These are only the gatherings that are plugged on local Tory websites, LinkedIn pages and social media feeds. But it appears Ms Mordaunt’s engagements far exceed those of others.
An ally came to her defence, arguing her Commons role inherently involves MP engagement and her ministerial duties do not take her abroad, unlike others.
“Puddings for Penny” was the pitch for members of the Cities of London & Westminster Conservatives to attend a speech by their keynote guest.
Quite which sweets were on offer
Mordaunt under scrutiny as tireless tour of Tory events marks her as aspiring leader in waiting
is unclear, but an image plugging the event teased the possibility of tiramisu, brownies drizzled in caramel and a glistening chocolate gateau.
“Penny is a terrific speaker with huge experience, and will travel far in British politics,” promised the text for the Puddings for Penny event. Quite how far remains to be seen.
Access to the Commons Leader does, however, come at a price. Rutland members had to fork out £80 each for the pleasure; in Somerton, just £37.
The upside is the photographs. Members have proudly posted their snaps with Ms Mordaunt, in turn building her celebrity among the Conservative base.
How does she find time for all the trips? That is the question that has been muttered by some Conservative colleagues who know a tilt for the leadership when they see one.
All talk that Ms Mordaunt is on manoeuvres is dismissed by her team, however. Indeed she did the same herself this week, appearing to blame Labour for inflaming the tittle-tattle.
A source close to Ms Mordaunt said: “Cabinet ministers are actively encouraged to support the campaign effort. Penny’s a popular campaigner who likes to show support for Conservative candidates up and down the country.”
But to those Tory MPs, including some on the Right, pushing her case, a joke that first surfaced during the coronation may well be springing to mind: “The Penny is mightier than the sword.”