Penny Mordaunt, who once used the word “cock” six times in a Commons speech, was an outspoken Leave campaigner ANDY RAIN/EPAPenny Mordaunt was appointed international development secretary yesterday in a mini-reshuffle in which three women were promoted. Ms Mordaunt, 44, was elevated from her post as disability minister at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and will now preside over the government’s £13 billion aid budget. Mrs May announced her appointment after MPs who support leaving the EU made clear they would complain if a Remain figure got the job. Some friends of Ms Mordaunt said there had been signs that Mrs May was going to make her defence secretary and this felt like a “consolation prize” after that job went to Gavin Williamson, the chief whip. Victoria Atkins, 41, became the first of the 2015 intake of Conservative MPs to enter government, joining the Home Office as a junior minister MARY TURNER/REUTERSMs Mordaunt might have reached the cabinet earlier…

Source: The Times November 10, 2017 00:45 UTC