Tories are underdog in this election, admits Mordaunt
The Independent|June 17, 2024
Minister calls for party to ignore polls and rally as she gives The Independent her first in-depth interview of the election
DAVID MADDOX
Tories are underdog in this election, admits Mordaunt

Penny Mordaunt has issued a rallying call to beleaguered Tories across the UK that the election result is “not a foregone conclusion” – but conceded that her party is now very much “the underdog”.

With many seeing Ms Mordaunt as a leader in waiting after a Tory defeat, she admits she felt “let down” by Rishi Sunak over the D-Day fiasco, which hit the headlines just hours before she was due to take part in a televised debate. But she also made it clear that she wants to see tax cuts, in a message to her party as well as the country.

The Tory cabinet minister gave a wide-ranging interview to The Independent from her bellwether constituency of Portsmouth North. Ms Mordaunt won the seat from Labour on her second attempt in 2010, and has increased her majority in each election since. In the interview, she addressed:

  • The inside story of how she reacted when she learnt that the prime minister had left the D-Day commemorations early

  • Why she believes the Tories need to be pushing tax cuts

  • Why the polls could be wrong

  • How she deals with misogyny in politics

  • How she prepared for the TV debates

Apart from Mr Sunak, Ms Mordaunt has been the only cabinet minister the Tories have trusted to stand front and centre in the election campaign with her two appearances in the seven-way party debates.

When news broke on 6 June that Mr Sunak had left the D-Day events in Normandy early, Ms Mordaunt was campaigning in Portsmouth, the home of the Royal Navy, where the liberation of Europe was planned and launched. She had attended the events in Portsmouth the day before, and was getting ready for the first of the two televised debates, which was due to take place the following day.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 17, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 17, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE INDEPENDENT مشاهدة الكل
Brexit Deals A £3bn-A-Year Blow To UK Food Exports
The Independent

Brexit Deals A £3bn-A-Year Blow To UK Food Exports

British food sales to the EU have fallen by almost a fifth since the end of the Brexit transition period, a new report shows

time-read
4 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Biden Criticised Across The Board For Pardoning His Son
The Independent

Biden Criticised Across The Board For Pardoning His Son

President’s decision slated by Republicans and Democrats

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Why 8 hours is a myth and other athletes' sleep secrets
The Independent

Why 8 hours is a myth and other athletes' sleep secrets

Performance coach Greg Meehan tells Alex Pattle how he keeps clients, including boxers and footballers, in top shape

time-read
4 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Women like me won't stand for this treatment any more
The Independent

Women like me won't stand for this treatment any more

When I woke up to MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace blaming midlife, middle-class women and their lack of a sense of humour for his troubles, I confess to swearing at my phone.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 03, 2024
The BBC's Wallace problem goes beyond MasterChef
The Independent

The BBC's Wallace problem goes beyond MasterChef

Is the fate of a television cookery presenter more important than Syrian insurgents seizing Aleppo and the turmoil on the streets in Georgia? The BBC thinks so, based on its news judgements in recent days, which have seen exhaustive coverage of the accusations against Gregg Wallace take precedence over matters of life and death around the world.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Edwards knew that he was beaten but he never gave up
The Independent

Edwards knew that he was beaten but he never gave up

Former world flyweight champion told cornerman, 'I don't want to be here' after two rounds of his loss to Galal Yafai

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Proud Welshman who drew every drop from his talent
The Independent

Proud Welshman who drew every drop from his talent

Terry Griffiths was the first qualifier to lift the world crown

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Former world champion Terry Griffiths dies, aged 77
The Independent

Former world champion Terry Griffiths dies, aged 77

Tributes have been paid to former world snooker champion Terry Griffiths, who died on Sunday at the age of 77 after a long battle with dementia.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Transformed Gravenberch embodies Slot's Liverpool
The Independent

Transformed Gravenberch embodies Slot's Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp had a habit of sounding prophetic. Or he had the capacity, whether through coaching and tactical prowess or force of personality, to make some of what he said come true.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024
Soaring house prices heap pressure on fixer Rayner
The Independent

Soaring house prices heap pressure on fixer Rayner

Sorry to make a soggy start to the week even more miserable, but it brings bad news for homebuyers. The housing market has taken a shot of adrenaline and performed a season’s best in the high jump.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 03, 2024