Penny Mordaunt

Penny Mordaunt, whose own name is inspired by the Second World War cruiser HMS Penelope, comes from a military background and is the only female MP who is a Royal Naval Reservist. She was also the first woman in British history to hold the office of secretary of state for defence. The daughter of a paratrooper, Mordaunt grew up in the historic naval city of Portsmouth and has been the MP for Portsmouth North since 2010. Mordaunt has held a diverse range of ministerial roles under the governing Conservative leadership, including minister of state for disabled people, secretary of state for international development, minister for women and equalities and – as mentioned – secretary of state for defence. Ben Wallace replaced Mordaunt as the secretary of state for defence when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister – Mordaunt, despite being a leading Brexiteer, had backed Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative party leadership contest. In February 2020, Mordaunt was appointed paymaster general. Before entering the world of politics, she was a press officer for Kensington & Chelsea Council and later for William Hague while he was the Conservative party leader. Mordaunt also worked on George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign. Her work in the charity sector, as director of the Big Lottery Fund and Diabetes UK, has been reflected in her appearances in the House of Commons, when she became the first cabinet minister to use sign language, announcing a global disability conference. Outside of parliament, Mordaunt is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the British Astronomical Association.