PENNY MORDAUNT, the former Defense Secretary who captivated audiences as a sword-bearer at King Charles’ Coronation, is now preparing for a return to the political battlefield. The 51-year-old Conservative stalwart, whose name harkens back to the cruiser HMS Penelope and who trained as a naval reservist, has been outspoken about the challenges facing the nation under current Labour policies.
Ms Mordaunt says she finds it “heartbreaking” to watch what Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are doing to the country. She believes that if Labour continues with its tax plans, a surge in unemployment is inevitable. Despite the setback of losing her Portsmouth North seat by just 780 votes in the summer’s disastrous election, she remains undeterred in her determination to make a significant impact on Britain’s future, reported by the Express.
“I would obviously love to come back to Parliament but I shall try and make myself useful in the meantime,” she stated. Her ambition is clear: to restore pride in the nation by providing genuine leadership and to protect the economic interests of small businesses, which she describes as the “lifeblood of our economy.”
Ms Mordaunt’s personal history is one of overcoming adversity. Growing up in Portsmouth, she faced family tragedies early on—her mother died of breast cancer when she was 15 and her father was diagnosed with the disease shortly after. Amid these challenges, she took on the responsibility of caring for her nine-year-old brother and even worked as a magician’s assistant.
“It was the most money that I could earn in the time that I had between working at school and college for my exams and taking care of my family,” she explains. “That’s what my community taught me. When the chips are down and you have to take responsibility, step up and do it and do what is required… I obviously learned a few card tricks along the way but that was the main lesson I learned as a magician’s assistant.”
Her display of strength at the Coronation—clutching ceremonial swords for over an hour—earned admiration from many, including former Labour spin guru Alastair Campbell, who was in “awe” at her “arm and shoulder strength.” When asked about her remarkable performance, she credited her background with a simple, candid remark: “Royal Navy training, mate. I can recommend it – I’d have been stuck without it that day, I can tell you.”
Ms Mordaunt is equally vocal about her concerns regarding the current government. “I’m seeing all of this potential and opportunity squandered,” she laments, adding, “Every single thing this Government is doing stands in the way of that and that is heartbreaking to watch. It makes me really angry, actually, because you’ve got these people who are stepping up to take responsibility… and they are being blocked at every turn by people who have no understanding about what they are doing.”
With her options open for a by-election or waiting until the next general election, Ms Mordaunt’s immediate focus remains on helping the country prosper. “I care passionately about our nation and particularly its defense and security and its economic success as well, and I’ll work with anyone to get great things to happen for our country,” she asserts. As she continues to chair SubSea Craft and the Coalition for Global Prosperity, her future return to Parliament is highly anticipated by supporters eager for renewed leadership and hope.
