Penny Mordaunt the first female Defense Secretary, popular with Conservative party members - the surprise frontrunner for Prime Minister #SkyNews #BBCNews #PennyMordaunt #politics

"Opinion polls have long suggested Ms Mordaunt is popular with Conservative party members, who will get the final say, and she has put in the work on the so-called "rubber chicken" circuit of Tory fundraisers and charity dinners. 

She is now locked in an increasingly bitter battle with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to secure a slot in the final run-off, when MPs have completed the votes to whittle the field down to two. 

The 49-year-old Portsmouth North MP has been in and around government for the best part of a decade and even had a brief spell as a reality TV star. 

She was a prominent backer of Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum and currently serves as minister for trade policy." 

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