Tom Tugendhat Launches Bid for Conservative Leadership

Tom Tugendhat has officially announced his candidacy to become the next leader of the Conservative Party, positioning himself as a contender to succeed Rishi Sunak.

In his announcement, Tugendhat made it clear that he is not just looking to be the party leader, but also the next Conservative Prime Minister. He is the second Tory MP to join the race, following the former home secretary.

The backdrop of this announcement comes shortly after the Conservative Party faced a significant defeat in the recent 4 July general election. Sunak, who will remain in his position until a replacement is found, has already announced his resignation.

As he sets out his vision, Tugendhat emphasized that the party’s recent losses stemmed from a lack of trust with the British public. He stated that the party failed to deliver on key promises such as lower taxes and immigration control.

Tugendhat also hinted at a willingness to leave the European Court of Human Rights if it became a barrier to controlling UK borders. He described this approach as the ‘commonsense Conservative position.’

Prior to his political career, Tugendhat was an Army officer and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2015, he was elected as the MP for Tonbridge.

Throughout his political journey, he has earned attention for his criticisms of government actions, including the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and the partygate scandal involving Boris Johnson.

In order to enter the leadership contest officially, Tugendhat will need the support of at least 10 MPs by the end of the month. The party plans to narrow the candidate list down to four by September, culminating in a final vote amongst members by 2 November.