Suella Braverman refuses to back Penny Mordaunt for Tory leader over gender ideology

'She takes a different view to me when it comes to the position of trans'

Attorney General and former Tory leadership hopeful Suella Braverman has refused to back Penny Mordaunt in the race to Number 10, on account of her "views on gender ideology". Earlier on Thursday, Braverman was knocked out of the Conservative leadership race after receiving a paltry 27 votes from Tory MPs, in the second round of voting - five fewer than she got yesterday. She told Sky News it was "obviously disappointing", but she was "absolutely blown away by the support" of her fellow MPs, "if not in their votes then definitely in their hearts." Asked if she would now back her colleague Penny Mordaunt for leader, she told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that she could not back her, on account of her views on gender.

"My perception of Penny is that she takes a different view to me when it comes to gender ideology and the position of trans," she said.

"For example: I think she said that a trans woman is a woman and I would disagree with that.

"My experience of Penny, while I have a lot of respect for her is that when the maternity allowance’s bill was being passed through Parliament, she resisted pretty forcefully the use of the word woman to describe a pregnant woman - to describe me, in essence.

"She was only forced to concede on the word mother after forceful opposition from members of the commons and Lords."

Braverman conceded she could potentially have her mind changed on Mordaunt in future. This is a breaking news story and will be updated...