Tom Tugendhat has announced his candidacy to succeed Rishi Sunak as the next Conservative leader, expressing a willingness to leave the European Convention on Human Rights. Tugendhat, considered part of the one nation wing of the party, has previously warned against leaving the ECHR, citing potential consequences for agreements like the Good Friday agreement and devolved administrations. However, in a recent article for the Telegraph, he indicated a shift in his position, stating that if institutions make it harder to control UK borders, the country may have to leave their jurisdiction.
Tugendhat is positioning himself to the right to appeal to party members, as it is noted that the Tory grassroots tend to favor more rightwing candidates. He has also touched on other key issues such as gender identity, net zero, and defense spending, suggesting an increase to 3% of GDP. He believes that the party lost trust with British voters by failing to deliver on promises of lower taxes and cutting immigration, and sees regaining trust as crucial to winning the next election.
The Conservative leadership contest will see nominations closing next week and MPs reducing them to a shortlist of four candidates in September. The final two candidates will be put to a vote by party members, with the result announced on 2 November. Rishi Sunak is currently serving as interim leader until the new leader is chosen.
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