A University of Reading graduate is favourite to be the next Prime Minister, a poll shows.

Penny Mordaunt, formerly president of the University of Reading's Students’ Union, entered the race on Sunday.

The philosophy alumnus and international trade minister was ranked second favourite by Conservative party members according to a YouGov poll, beaten only by Ben Wallace who is not running.

Reading Chronicle: File photo of Penny MordauntFile photo of Penny Mordaunt

Her campaign launch video attracted attention on Twitter on Sunday, where athlete Jonnie Peacock asked to be removed and other users likened the promotional material to the introduction of Little Britain and a clip from the satire show The Day Today.

Announcing her bid, the international trade minister said the UK’s leadership “needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship”.

Who is Penny Mordaunt:

The MP for Portsmouth North entered parliament in 2010 and held her first ministerial position in 2014. Three years later she became Secretary of State for International Development, and returned to the University of Reading to rename a building after Britain’s first female professor.

She briefly became the first female Secretary of State for Defence in 2019 before being sacked by Boris Johnson in a cabinet reshuffle.

Mordaunt has consistently voted in favour of cutting welfare benefits and funding to local government bodies, according to TheyWorkForYou.

READ MORE: Death threats, robbery and cannabis among latest Reading arrests

She voted to reduce rates of corporation tax and against increasing tax rates on those earning over £150,000, while also voting to raise the income tax threshold.

She consistently voted for high speed rail infrastructure and voted for higher taxes on plane tickets.

In 2010, Mordaunt voted to raise the UK’s university tuition fee level to £9,000 per year.

She played a prominent role in the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and has the backing of Dame Andrea Leadsom and Michael Fabricant.

READ MORE: Contaminated and overflowing bins in East Reading thrown out after issues raised

The Tory leadership contest is a crowded race, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss the most recent to officially join the field of 11 candidates vying for the top job.

But the number could be quickly slashed.

Reading Chronicle: (top, left to right) Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Attorney General Suella Braverman, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace , and Penny Mordaunt, (bottom, left to right) Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, former health secretary Sajid Javid , Tom Tugendhat, Jeremy Hunt, Kemi Badenoch and Rehman Chishti. (top, left to right) Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Attorney General Suella Braverman, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace , and Penny Mordaunt, (bottom, left to right) Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, former health secretary Sajid Javid , Tom Tugendhat, Jeremy Hunt, Kemi Badenoch and Rehman Chishti.

Elections are taking place on Monday afternoon for the executive of the 1922 Committee, a powerful backbench panel chaired by Sir Graham Brady which has the ultimate responsibility for setting the rules in any Conservative Party leadership contest.

The newly-elected executive will meet immediately to decide the rules and procedures for this race to replace Boris Johnson, and Sir Graham will meet with the Tory party board to set the timetable, with an announcement expected at about 7pm.

To avoid the contest dragging on, the candidates could be whittled down to a final two before the start of MPs’ summer holidays next Thursday.

Penny Mordaunt was contacted but did not provide a comment at the time of publishing.