Penny Mordant's bid for leadership is surely over

[ChristinaXYZ]

Her obfuscation over her views on the trans issue in a long and rather disingenuous twitter thread earlier has brought a "senior Whitehall official," incensed by the perceived duplicity, out to say this:

"A senior Whitehall official gets in touch about Mordaunt and the maternity bill. “She fought AGAINST the change to ‘women’. The way she’s trying to rewrite history to suit her is despicable. While she’s supposedly campaigning on character and values. can’t believe the hypocrisy”

twitter.com/ShippersUnbound/status/1546158477738971138

We all could see when it was happening it was only the steadfastness of the Lords that got the words woman and mother back in to the legislation.

On top of the that she used footage of the late Jo Cox rather cynically earlier too in a bout of self-promotion.

She has no judgement at all and her relationship with the truth seems rather strained. As the first comment in the thread says this is surely her Andrea Leadsom moment.

Penny Mordaunt should step-down before she does any more damage.

Alan Clark was a famous womaniser, drinker and wit as well.
He didn't like Heseltine...who had to buy his own furniture!

Sky news is reporting that hustings at the 1922 committee brought up the identity issue and she didn’t come out well in the exchange - either she is lying or she is lazy. No such report on bbc news

Interesting.

Sky news is also looking for people to be in their virtual audience at the hustings on Monday. Chance to ask a question:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/conservative-leadership-race-penny-mordaunt-suffers-first-setback-of-campaign-as-mps-attack-her-stance-on-trans-issues-12651613

Janice Turner talks about Pm in her Thursday column:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d3a5625e-02de-11ed-aa15-45d37b45dc0d?shareToken=d73cd5585d0aa572ad8d10aa56057211

Although a Remainer, the big problem for Truss in my view is that she is backed by Rees Mogg, Dories and Francois. Should she win, they will stay in Cabinet with a handle on direct power, shudder !

Mordaunt is popular with the mainstream Tory voter, and remains Sunaks big rival. She can boot out any remaining vestiges of the Johnson Government and present a "clean start". And, when compared to BJ, she does look the part on the international stage.

We really should not confuse Gender with Identity or Sexuality

There are only 2 genders Male and Female ( + a few with both characteristics)
You can change your identity, gender remains

Lead story on Sky news. I think that is exceptional progress - I don't think that anyone can claim this is a niche issue, unimportant, not what voters are interested in etc etc anymore.

Mordant reportedly said “I think it was Margaret thatcher who said ‘every prime minister needs a Willie. A woman like me doesn’t have one”

no Penny no, no women have willies. People with willies are men

(I also hate the euphemism willie for penis tho I know why it’s used here)

The trans issue might be an issue with some MPs but I suspect it’s peripheral with most, assuming Mordaunt gets through to the final 2 it’s not likely to be an issue with most Tory members.
Economic issues are going to be far more important - Sunak or not Sunak!.

The Thatcher "Willie" quote was about William Whitelaw a famous politician in Thatcher's cabinet. It's a famous quote for Tories

The Mail are covering her reverse ferret now...

Just catching the last few minutes of Politics Live and I see Paris Lees is on.
All I got from her was Penny is making transphobic jokes, and is TWAW really the most important issue?

The trans issue might be an issue with some MPs but I suspect it’s peripheral with most, assuming Mordaunt gets through to the final 2 it’s not likely to be an issue with most Tory members. Economic issues are going to be far more important

This. She’s hot favourite with the Tory membership and the bookies now.

I think maybe a lot of regular people see her as moderate, and maybe Blair-like in a way though that's a weird comparison in some ways. But an election winner, with a good camera presence.

I think Truss is my least favourite out of the two

It may just be stylistic but I find it hard to listen to her speak. Having said that I’m yet to listen to her candidate bid maybe she’ll change my mind.

I don’t like PM’s stance but I don’t feel the same threat from her on the issue as I would Labour - as Starmer would have more of party behind him

3% of Tory members say trans issues are important for them. You’re kidding yourselves if you think this will swing the leadership contest.

If only we had nothing more to worry about than the Trans culture war.

I can't imagine it being the major topic on the doorstep with households really struggling, or with Conservative members who just want tax cuts.

Guido's take:
order-order.com/2022/07/14/penny-is-transitioning-her-toxic-to-tories-trans-stance-for-the-membership/

The issue has an indirect effect too. If PM's contradictions result in her being perceived as untrustworthy, or if she falls apart when asked a simple question, then it makes her less credible all round.

Presumably that'll depend on the gap between them. If two candidates are neck and neck 3% could easily swing a leadership contest.

If she didn't think it was an issue among Tory members she'd not be feeling the need to change her rhetoric.

She’s not doing it for Tory party members who don’t give a shit. She’s doing it for the benefit of the media and because her opponents are capitalising on it. Braverman stuck the knife in and twisted it on PM this afternoon, with Evan Davies enabling and egging her on. She’s got the right really rattled and they seem to think nobody can see through their tactics.

This quite clearly explains what’s happening.

conservativehome.com/2022/07/14/the-danger-for-the-conservatives-and-the-country-of-tory-mps-voting-one-way-and-activists-the-other/

Her opponents are capitalizing on it to influence votes.

Yep.