Potential Tory leadership contender dodges questions over whether she will back Johnson in confidence vote

Penny Mordaunt raises eyebrows with article praising the ‘happy, humble, honest and hard-working’ leadership of D-Day chief Eisenhower

A senior government minister widely tipped as a contender to succeed Boris Johnson has dodged questions over whether she will back the prime minister in this evening’s confidence vote over his leadership.

And Penny Mordaunt raised eyebrows in Westminster with an article to mark the anniversary of D-Day, in which she praised the leadership of US commander Dwight Eisenhower and said “confidence without competence is a dangerous combination”.

Ms Mordaunt made no mention of Mr Johnson in her article in the Daily Express, but observers noted that her comment could easily be read as a dig at the prime minister.

She praised the future US president’s style of “servant leadership” built on the principles of being “happy, humble, honest and hard-working”.

As many ministers sent out messages of support for Johnson on social media this morning, Ms Mordaunt sparked surprise in Westminster by instead posting a series of tweets about D-Day anniversary commemorations in her Portsmouth constituency.

And she did not give a clear answer when asked by the Portsmouth News whether she will back Johnson to stay on as leader in this evening’s vote.

“I didn’t choose this prime minister, I didn’t support him in the leadership contest but he has always had my loyalty because I think that’s what you do when you have a democratic process – you select a leader and then you owe that person your loyalty,” said Ms Mordaunt.

“That’s always been my approach, whatever differences I’ve had with people and that remains. I’m one of his ministers and I have continued to support him.

“I hope that we can return swiftly to the real business at hand which is getting growth back into the economy and continuing our support in the Ukraine. I think being here, at the D-Day memorial in Portsmouth today, is a reminder of what’s really important outside the Westminster bubble.”

Her comments will raise doubts over whether she will vote for him to continue as Conservative leader.

Rebel MPs have told The Independent that the key to tonight’s result may be in the hands of ministers who offer public support for the PM but withhold their backing in the privacy of the voting booth.

Writing about D-Day in the Express, Ms Mordaunt said: “Eisenhower was there because he was someone. He was trusted. He was flexible. He inspired confidence.

“You can’t ‘do’ any of these things. People followed his lead because of the values he instinctively embodied.

“In truth, Eisenhower never saw combat. He never held a battlefield command. But his team had confidence in him because he was competent as a leader.

“Confidence and competence are easily confused, but they are not the same. Confidence without competence is a dangerous combination.”

Ms Mordaunt served in Theresa May’s cabinet as defence secretary and international development secretary, but left government when Mr Johnson took office in 2019. She returned to ministerial rank in 2020 and is currently a trade minister.