Penny Mordaunt Announces That She Is Entering Tory Leadership Race

Penny Mordaunt has become the latest candidate to enter the Tory leadership race.

The former defence secretary’s announcement brings the number vying to replace Boris Johnson to ten.

Launching her campaign with a video on Twitter, the Portsmouth North MP, who is also a member of the Royal Navy Rwserve, said: “Our leadership has to change. It needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship.

“I’m Penny Mordaunt and I’m ready to serve as the next leader of the Conservative Party.”

However, there was controversy as a clip from the video appeared to show Oscar Pistorious, who is currently in a South African prison for murdering his girlfriend.

Mordaunt, who is currently a trade minister, received the endorsement of George Freeman, who resigned as science minister last week in protest at Boris Johnson’s leadership.

Tom Tugendhat, who was the first candidate to announce he was running following Boris Johnson’s resignation, said today that he offered a “new start” for the party.