Penny Mordaunt took aim at her ministerial boss, joking she was “astounded” to be back in the Commons inbox given her “reported work ethic” – as he stood by her side.
Supporters of the trade secretary also praised her as she returned to front-bench duties in the House of Commons after being dumped from the Conservative leadership race.
Her comments came after International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan criticized Ms Mordaunt during the contest, saying: “There were a number of times when she was not available, which would have been helpful, and other ministers picked up the pieces. “
Ms Mordaunt also used trade issues to confirm that the UK was negotiating with 25 of the 50 US states in a bid to reach economic pacts.
Former Tory minister Andrea Leadsom, a key supporter of Ms Mordaunt, told the minister: “May I pay tribute to my esteemed friend for a fantastic, brave and clean campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party and for Prime Minister.”
She asked: “Does she agree with me that being a force for good in the free trade world is an absolutely honorable goal and one that the UK should be promoting every chance we get?”
Ms Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, replied: “Yes, I’m kind of amazed to be here this morning, given my work ethic. But I’m here.
“And she’s absolutely right. As a G-7 nation, leaving the EU’s regulatory orbit is an international event. And that gives us a tremendous opportunity, but also for nations like the United States, to really lay out our view of the world and capitalism and fight for those things that we believe in.
Ms Mordaunt directed a further dig at Ms Trevelyan after Labor criticized the Department for International Trade for a “really shameless attempt” to “avoid any form of scrutiny” over the UK-Australia free trade deal.
Shadow trade minister Ruth Cadbury said the department had “turned down” eight invitations to appear at the Commons International Trade Committee and avoided a vote on the deal before it was ratified.
Ms Trevelyan was accused earlier this week of “bottling” her appearance before MPs to discuss the deal.
Ms Mordaunt, in her reply, said: “For my part, every time the Committee on International Trade or any other body of this House has asked me to appear before it, I have done so.
I think this is the attitude of the ministerial team and we will continue to do so.
Shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “I welcome the member for Portsmouth North following her efforts in the Tory leadership contest.
“But the Secretary of State is much less lauded for her efforts in the department.”
Mr Thomas-Symonds went on to read the criticisms made by Ms Trevelyan.
As Tory MPs directed shouts of ‘shame’ at him, he pointed out: “They are shouting ‘shame’ at me – those are the Conservatives’ words to each other, not my words.”
Ms Trevelyan replied: “I have a fantastic team of Ministers, which is exactly why we are able to do everything we can to ensure that our UK businesses have access to UK and Government support, to to deliver their fantastic goods and services worldwide. world.”
Conservative Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) said of Ms Mordaunt: “I have always been struck by the quiet diligence of the member for Portsmouth North in doing her job.
“So can she update me on the progress of signing individual deals with American states in which my farmers in Rutland and Melton are particularly interested.”
Ms. Mordaunt replied: “This week we continued our negotiations with Utah, and yesterday we signed the second MOU (memorandum of understanding) at the state level with North Carolina, which will be based on green growth.
“We are currently negotiating with half of all American states.
“The first eight deals we will sign will cover 20 per cent of the US economy and this will open up supplies, enable mutual recognition of qualifications and allow British business to take a greater share of both goods exports and and from the export of services. “
Former Conservative minister Tim Lawton noted that Ms Mordaunt was “supposedly work-shy” as he praised her work with the US states, joking: “Think what she could achieve if her focus was on work”.
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