Politics latest news: Penny Mordaunt fails to praise Rishi Sunak amid leadership speculation

Penny Mordaunt failed to praise Rishi Sunak on Thursday when challenged to confirm her support for the Prime Minister amid speculation about a plot to oust him.

The Commons Leader was warned by Labour that anything less than a “gushing homage” to Mr Sunak could be “misinterpreted” as rumours swirl about a plan to install her as his replacement.

A group of Right-wing Tory MPs is understood to believe Ms Mordaunt should lead the Tories into this year’s general election to prevent catastrophic losses, while surveys show she is among the most popular frontbenchers with the Tory grassroots.

Lucy Powell, the shadow Commons leader, used a business statement to urge her opposite number to address the “elephant in the room”.

“I’ve heard her before in these sessions giving a rather fulsome, sometimes slightly over the top personal tribute to the Prime Minister,” she said.

“Given that so many are losing faith, I thought she might want to take this opportunity today to give us another gushing homage. Anything less might be misinterpreted.”

Ms Mordaunt responded: “Mr Speaker, I have briefly emerged from under the hairdryer, put down my Take A Break magazine, managed not only to find my way to the chamber this morning, but also remember on which side of it I am supposed to be sitting.

“To be present and correct for Business Questions, quite a feat if media reports are to be believed.”

Despite praising the Government’s economic record, Ms Mordaunt declined the invitation to pay tribute to Mr Sunak directly.

‘Westminster rumour vortex’

“It is confirmation that the plan is working when on Thursdays the Opposition focuses not on these facts in the real world but on the Westminster rumour vortex.”

In a reference to Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, claiming that Britain is facing a 1979 moment, Ms Mordaunt continued: “It’s virtue-signalling over there versus results over here… It’s no plan versus a plan that is working.

“And to borrow from the Opposition’s newfound heroine Margaret Thatcher, if you want something saying, wait long enough and Labour will. If you need something doing, vote Conservative.”

A recent meeting is understood to have taken place between leading figures on the Right of the Tory parliamentary party and prominent supporters of Ms Mordaunt from when she previously ran for the leadership in July and October 2022.

Elsewhere in Thursday’s Commons session, Ms Mordaunt was taunted by the SNP’s Deidre Brock, who said: “All that leadership plotting and scheming… She’s been a busy bee.”