Penny Mordaunt

Penelope Mary Mordaunt (/ˈmɔːrdənt/; born 4 March 1973) is a British Conservative politician who was the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council. She was the Secretary of State for Defence in 2019, and has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth North from 2010 until she lost her seat after the 2024 election.

The Right Honourable Penny Mordaunt
File:Penny Mordaunt Official Cabinet Portrait, September 2022 (cropped).jpg Official portrait, 2022
Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council
In office 6 September 2022 – 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Liz Truss Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Mark Spencer
Succeeded by	Lucy Powell
Secretary of State for Defence
In office 1 May 2019 – 24 July 2019
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Gavin Williamson
Succeeded by	Ben Wallace
Secretary of State for International Development
In office 9 November 2017 – 1 May 2019
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Priti Patel
Succeeded by	Rory Stewart
Minister for Women and Equalities
In office 30 April 2018 – 24 July 2019
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Amber Rudd
Succeeded by	Amber Rudd
Junior ministerial offices Minister of State for Trade Policy In office 16 September 2021 – 6 September 2022 Prime Minister Boris Johnson Preceded by Greg Hands Succeeded by Conor Burns Paymaster General In office 13 February 2020 – 16 September 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson Preceded by Oliver Dowden Succeeded by Michael Ellis Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health In office 15 July 2016 – 9 November 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May Preceded by Justin Tomlinson Succeeded by Sarah Newton Minister of State for the Armed Forces In office 11 May 2015 – 15 July 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron Preceded by Mark François Succeeded by Mike Penning Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government In office 14 July 2014 – 11 May 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron Preceded by Nick Boles Succeeded by James Wharton
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North
In office 6 May 2010 – 30 May 2024
Preceded by	Sarah McCarthy-Fry
Succeeded by	Amanda Martin
Personal details
Born	Penelope Mary Mordaunt 4 March 1973 (aged 52) Torquay, Devon, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Paul Murray ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2000)​
Alma mater	University of Reading (BA)
Website	pennymordaunt.com
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	Royal Navy
Years of service	2010–2019
Rank	Acting Sub-Lieutenant (Honorary Captain)
Unit	Royal Naval Reserve

Mordaunt was Secretary of State for International Development from 2017 to 2019.

In May 2019, Mordaunt was appointed Defence Secretary after Gavin Williamson was fired. She is the first woman to hold this post.

In July 2022, Mordaunt announced her candidacy to replace Boris Johnson as Leader of the Conservative Party in the 2022 leadership election. She was eliminated in the fifth round of voting on 20 July 2022.

After Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister in October 2022, Mordaunt announced her candidacy for Conservative Party leader again for the October leadership election. She withdrew from the race on 23 October 2022 and supported Rishi Sunak, who won the election unopposed.

Penny Mordaunt Media

• Penny Mordaunt in Bangladesh.jpg

  Mordaunt on a visit to Kutupalong in Bangladesh in November 2017

• Penny Mordaunt at RUSI cropped.jpg

  Penny Mordaunt at RUSI in 2019

• Accession Council of King Charles III - 87.jpg

  Mordaunt, as Lord President of the Council, arriving at the Accession Council of King Charles III

• PM4PM logo.svg

  Mordaunt's 2022 leadership logo

• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt (52453053727).jpg

  Mordaunt meeting with Rishi Sunak

• British Royal Navy (sleeves) OF-5.svg

  British Royal Navy (sleeves) OF-5

• Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.svg

  Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon

• UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg

  UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR