When Penny Mordaunt moved into her ministerial office in the Department for International Development, she was offered a choice of items from the government art collection to adorn the walls. It’s a perilous process for any politician – choose something classic and appear uncool, go for something contemporary and risk looking try-hard – or worse, if you’re a Tory politician, have the artist declare that they despise the government. As communities secretary, Eric Pickles tried to show he had an open mind with both a portrait of Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone, while George Osborne caused a stir by picking Grayson Perry’s Print for a Politician.
Mordaunt in the end opted for neither option. She shunned the convention – and the collection – instead bringing in her own picture from home: of Admiral Lord Nelson. Expect the same picture to hang in her new office in the Ministry of Defence following Mordaunt’s promotion this week to one of the grand offices of state, in the wake of Gavin Williamson’s sacking for allegedly leaking details of a National Security Council meeting to the press.
Mordaunt’s appointment as defence secretary is seen by many in the party as overdue. After Michael Fallon resigned two years ago in the wake of the Pestminster scandal, the expectation had been that Mordaunt would be first in line to take over. However, May instead caused an upset in the party by promoting Williamson, then chief whip. The speedy promotion landed badly with critics quick to nickname him Private Pike, on the grounds that he had no military experience.
Mordaunt has no such baggage. A Royal Navy reservist and a former minister for the armed forces, Mordaunt is seen by many in the military as one of their own. Having impressed in her DfID position in her response to the Oxfam sexual misconduct scandal, Mordaunt will now face a new political challenge – fighting cuts to the department. This is the opposite of DfID, where critics frequently claim there is too much funding.
So, what will Mordaunt bring to the role? The first female defence secretary in British history, Mordaunt is regarded by colleagues as a breath of fresh air. She has a history of firsts – the first cabinet minister to use sign language in parliament (to announce a global disability conference) and the first to perform a bellyflop dive live on TV as part of the ITV show Splash!. She is known to have a mischievous streak – previously admitting to saying “cock” six times in a Commons debate in order to win a bet with navy friends. However, she also has a more serious side. Those who have worked closely with her say that she passionately cares about each department she works in, and tries to stay involved with the projects after she has moved on. Her politics are heavily influenced by the man that hangs on the wall. Like Nelson, she believes in leading by example and that success ought to be rewarded.
She’s also an ardent Brexiteer – receiving criticism during the EU referendum for suggesting the UK “does not” have a veto over the new membership of states such as Turkey. Since then, however, she has emerged as one of the main Brexiteer voices in the cabinet. She has often had her name at the top of the ministerial resignation watchlists when May has softened the government’s position. Yet, despite speculation she would have walked by now, she has stayed and has now been rewarded for that with her dream job.
But could she climb further still? With Theresa May resigned to leaving No 10 later this year, a Tory leadership contest is inevitable. As Nigel Farage’s Brexit party surges in the polls, there’s an increasing view among Tory MPs that May’s successor must be a Brexiteer. The obvious choice is Boris Johnson, a politician popular with the grassroots. However, the parliamentary party is largely against him, and he is seen as toxic by many Tory MPs.
It follows that MPs are on the lookout for a one-nation Conservative, Brexiteer candidate who could rally activists and unite the party. Mordaunt’s supporters argue that she has the right qualities to lead. Political parties tend to pick the opposite of what they had before, and Mordaunt is the opposite of May – an emotionally intelligent communicator. This week’s promotion to one of the great offices of state means that Mordaunt now has the platform. If she can impress, it’s possible.
• Katy Balls is the Spectator’s deputy political editor
