'Don't let my stalker deter you from public life'

Dame Penny Mordaunt urged anyone considering public office to "go for it"

Former cabinet minister Dame Penny Mordaunt has urged anyone considering public office not to be put off after a man was convicted of stalking her.

Ex-councillor Edward Brandt, 61, was found guilty of stalking the former Conservative leadership hopeful over a period of eight months in 2023 and 2024.

Dame Penny, who was MP for Portsmouth North from 2010 to 2024, said: "I want to go back to politics - the upsides of that job far outweigh the downsides...

"Don't let stories like this deter you. You just need to have some confidence in yourself and go for it."

During his trial, Southampton Crown Court was told Brandt, of Lymington, Hampshire, had previously been handed a conditional caution requiring him not to contact Dame Penny, but he persisted, saying in one voicemail message: "I am going to go on gently knocking at your door... I am not giving up."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent after his conviction, Dame Penny said: "I've only ever had to go to court twice in my career - once was at the start and once was last week.

"If you want to step up and serve your community as a local councillor or member of parliament, or in some other way, don't let stories like this deter you.

"There are a lot of bad things that happen in a lot of other professions - our emergency services have to deal with a huge amount every single day of the week.

"People get this in all walks of life and in the virtual world as well - there's a lot that happens on social media which is hard for people to deal with.

"Everything can always be improved but it's so important not to be put off by these kinds of stories.

"I could tell you a thousands happier stories than the one that was covered last week."