Tom Tugendhat joins race to be next Tory leader with hint he would leave ECHR

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Tom Tugendhat, a high-ranking member of the Conservative Party, has decided to run for leadership, stating that he is willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights in order to safeguard the borders of the United Kingdom.

The minister responsible for security, who publicly announced his desire to be a leader along with James Cleverly, firmly believes he has what it takes to lead the Conservative party to success in the upcoming general election.

The competition to replace Rishi Sunak as the leader of the Conservative Party began on Wednesday night, marking the start of the fight for the party's future after their disappointing general election outcome.

Mr. Tugendhat, seen as a more centrist figure in the Conservative party, has quickly become a top contender in the early stages of the race due to his favorable rating among the public.

He has stated that there was not much difference between him and his competitors on the right regarding important topics.

When he started his campaign for leadership in the Telegraph, he insisted that the party would not be divided by a controversial competition. He believed that all Conservatives held similar beliefs on important topics like the ECHR, gender, taxes, defense, and net zero, which he called "common sense" views.

We understand that if institutions do not benefit the British people and make it more difficult to have control over our borders, then we may need to opt out of them or no longer be subject to their authority.

We understand the essence of womanhood. We all desire reduced taxes. We recognize the importance of national security over financial documents. We prioritize energy security and managing household expenses.

These are basic Conservative beliefs. They are firm and I believe they should be important to anyone who wants to lead.

The Conservative Party suffered a significant setback in the elections, only managing to secure 121 seats, ultimately leading to the end of Rishi Sunak's time as Prime Minister.

However, Mr. Tugendhat stated: "I am not simply vying to become the upcoming leader of the Conservative Party. I am striving to become the next Prime Minister for the Conservatives. The main focus of this leadership contest is victory. It is imperative that we win the next general election in order to effectively serve the British public."

"We have the ability to achieve success. We need to achieve success. I have the capability to guide the party to that triumph."

The first person to announce their intention to run for leadership was Shadow home secretary James Cleverly. He believes he has the backing of the 10 MPs required to participate in the race.

There may be a lot of competition in the race, leading to possible disagreements within the Conservative party as they figure out how to deal with their worst election outcome ever. The winner will be revealed on November 2.

Bookies have named Kemi Badenoch as the frontrunner in the competition for shadow communities secretary.

Previous Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride, former Secretaries of State for Home Suella Braverman and Dame Priti Patel, and former Minister of Immigration Robert Jenrick are all anticipated to announce their candidacies for leadership positions.

However, Victoria Atkins, the shadow health secretary who was rumored to be a potential leader, has officially announced in an article for The Telegraph that she will not be throwing her hat into the ring.

She expressed gratitude that many individuals from within the House and outside of it had urged her to participate, but clarified that she had never planned to enter the competition.

Before the election three weeks ago, I had a very important role in the government that I was fully dedicated to. Now, I am eager to assist the incoming leader in bringing together, revitalizing, and rejuvenating our party.

Based on a recent survey conducted by Savanta from July 19 to 21, Mr. Tugendhat is the top choice among the general public, with a rating of minus three points, and among Conservative voters for 2024, with a rating of 21 points.