Penny Mordaunt says painkillers and good breakfast helped her carry coronation sword

‘You want to make sure you are in good nick’, says senior Tory

Tory cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt has revealed she took painkillers to help her carry ceremonial swords during Charles III’s coronation.

The Commons leader said she enjoyed all the attention received after emerging as the surprise star of the Westminster Abbey ceremony on Saturday.

Asked if she had been in training, Ms Mordaunt told the BBC Political Thinking podcast: “I was not in the gym for six months”, but added: “You want to make sure you are in good nick.”