Tom Tugendhat joins race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader

Ex-Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has entered the competition to succeed Rishi Sunak as the upcoming leader of the Conservative Party.

He is now the second person to officially enter the competition, following the announcement of shadow home secretary James Cleverly joining the race yesterday.

Entries for the competition started today, with Mr Tugendhat, Mr Cleverly, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Kemi Badenoch, and Robert Jenrick reportedly taking the necessary forms to participate.

Mr. Tugendhat competed to become the leader in 2022, and was given a position in the cabinet as a consolation prize even though he did not win the top role.

The ongoing competition will last until the start of November.

Before serving as the head of the foreign affairs select committee, the ex-military member is recognized for his aggressive stances towards China and Iran.

In a blog post for The Telegraph, the politician from Tonbridge mentioned that he is willing to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Analyzing the issues that led to the Tories' loss in the previous election, Mr. Tugendhat stated: "Many experts have written extensively about the reasons behind our defeat, but I can sum it up in one word: trust.

"We broke the promise we made to the British people and as a result, they no longer have confidence in us."

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Discover more: The frontrunner in the Tory leadership race has been unveiled in a recent poll. Which potential candidates are being considered to take over as the new Conservative leader in place of Sunak?

He mentioned that the public desired the party's previous commitments such as decreased taxes, reduced immigration, and greater autonomy over their daily lives.

However, the previous administration failed to fulfill its promises.

He stated that the ongoing competition for leadership will not cause disagreements within the party because everyone is in agreement on certain issues such as the ECHR, gender equality, tax rates, defense spending, and achieving net zero emissions.

Mr Tugendhat stated that if institutions are not working in the best interests of the British people and make it difficult to regulate our borders, then there may be a need for us to remove ourselves from them or no longer be under their authority.

We understand the definition of a woman. We all desire reduced taxes. We all recognize that national security is more important than financial documents.

We are all aware that the top priorities are ensuring energy security and managing household expenses.

He has stated that if he wins the election, his goal is to defeat Labour in the upcoming general election and become the leader of the country.

"Why am I right for this job? The reason is simple. When I make a promise, I always follow through," he explained.

I made a promise to protect my country and its people, so I battled against our foes in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Continuing that fight, I also served as a security minister for two Conservative prime ministers.

I may not have come out on top in every disagreement I faced, but I did emerge victorious in the crucial battle to protect our country from terrorism. By vowing to confront oppressive rulers, I have incurred the wrath of China's Communist regime, who have retaliated by sanctioning, hacking, and singling me out for attack.

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In the realm of politics, success often boils down to one key principle: delivering on your commitments. The Conservative Party's track record of honoring their promises has proven to be a winning strategy.

"And the Conservative Party has the potential to secure victory in the upcoming election. Believe me, I will ensure that it happens."