LONDON — Penny Mordaunt became the first Conservative to declare she’s running to succeed Liz Truss as U.K. prime minister, as contenders embark on a frantic weekend of lobbying Tory lawmakers to get onto Monday’s party ballot.
Truss’ dramatic resignation on Thursday triggered a leadership contest that, coming so soon after the bitter one that put her into 10 Downing Street, is likely to deepen divisions in the party that look all but impossible to heal.
For a day, candidates had been working behind the scenes to win the backing of 100 MPs needed to contest the vote. But Mordaunt, who narrowly lost out to Truss for a place on the final run-off last time, broke cover on Friday to declare her candidacy, saying she’s been “encouraged by support from colleagues.”
