Conservative leadership favorite Penny Mordaunt suffered her first setback in the campaign when she was attacked by lawmakers for her stance on trans issues.
She clashed with right-wing Conservative MPs at a major research event attended by the six remaining candidates in the contest after the first round of voting.
The Minister of Commerce and former Secretary of Defense has previously angered conservative traditionalists by speaking out in favor of trans rights and gender recognition.
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And she was challenged in a call organized by the 1922 Committee for her management of a bill to allow Attorney General Suella Braverman to take maternity leave last year.
Ms. Braverman is now one of Ms. Mordaunt’s leadership rivals and has already been criticized for her decision to replace “woman” with “pregnant person” in the 2021 legislation.
As the bill passed the Commons, Conservative MPs led by veteran former minister Sir John Hayes tabled amendments to reinstate “mother” and “wife”, but were rejected by the government.
Later, however, the same amendments were reinstated in the House of Lords after an inter-party campaign that included Labor and Conservative parents.
At the 1922 meetings, Sir John, one of Mrs Braverman’s main supporters, challenged Ms Mordaunt on the subject and her colleagues later said she was “incandescent” in her response.
“He said he only had one day to read the bill,” a deputy present on Sky News said. “Anyone who has been a law minister will tell you you have plenty of time to prepare.”
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After the rubbish, a party grantee told Sky News: “The identity agenda, if we can put it that way, is quickly popping up inside as a campaign issue.”
Other issues raised by MPs questioning the six candidates in the 1922 convocations were the economy and tax cuts, education, ambulance waiting times, “the benefits of Brexit” and the environment. and net zero.
Earlier, at the launch of her campaign, Ms. Mordaunt responded to criticism of her position on trans rights by stating, “I think it was Margaret Thatcher who said,‘ Every prime minister needs a Willie. ’ as I have none “.
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