Penny Mordaunt might be the media darling since wielding the Coronation sword but it wasn’t always this way. The Leader of the House has had a fair few run-ins with the Four Estate in recent years, including last summer’s leadership election. So it was with great enthusiasm that Mr S attended tonight’s Parliamentary Press Gallery summer reception where Mordaunt was billed as the star speaker.
Welcoming ‘friends – and Lord Frost’, Mordaunt introduced herself as ‘one of the handful of Conservative MPs not to have their own show on GB News.’ The former magicians’ assistant was quick to work her magic, referencing the infamous lobby briefing at which Mrs Thatcher’s press spokesman described John Biffen as a ‘semi-detached’ member of the government. ‘I am of course not semi-detached’ quipped Mordaunt: ‘I have a Liberal Democrat council so I would not get planning permission.’
Indeed, she continued, ‘I am here tonight with No. 10’s blessing and they’ve even helped me draft it. So, turning to our five priorities…’ Cue laughter all round. Mordaunt though was not merely content to rib her own side: for once HM press, those fearless seekers of truth, were fair game too. The Portsmouth MP teased that she had intended to reveal a copy of Boris Johnson’s pre-scrutinised honours’ list but that, given some of the intended recipients ‘were going to be here tonight, I thought it would be a little insensitive’. She sympathised with those toiling long hours in the rotten conditions of parliament’s press rooms. ‘I know it’s been tough, so tough in fact, that some of your number thought it might be a good career move to become a Conservative party candidate. Bless you.’
But it was Mordaunt’s peroration which really got the lobby laughing. She mused aloud to the assembled hacks about the various changes which political media has undergone in recent decades, including the rise of podcasts which now fill so many ears:
I wonder what Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey would have made of it all. Bloomberg UK Politics is listened to by people that own the country, Political Thinking is listened to by people who run the country, the Rest is Politics is produced by people who failed at running the country, Women with Balls is listened to by people who really should be running the country. And Chopper’s Podcast is listened to by people who think the country should have a royal yacht. Newscast is watched by people who love the BBC, Coffee House by people who hate the BBC and the News Agents by people who also hate the BBC and used to work for it… We are blessed with a plethora of media outlets but for the viewer it does get confusing. On a recent visit to north of the border, I tuned into what I thought was a very exciting episode of Taggart. It turned out to be BBC Politics Scotland.
Talk about bringing the House down.
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