Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat said he "doesn't regret voting to Remain" in the EU referendum as he called for European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to be reformed.
The former security minister also said that he would be willing to leave the international court if it is not altered, claiming his "stance has never changed on this."
Speaking to Camilla Tominey on GB News, he said: "What I don't regret is standing up for British interest. I don't regret voting to Remain.
"It was a decision that was taken at the time and ever since then I have constantly supported the democratic will of the British people.
Tom Tugendhat said that he "doesn't regret" voting to remain in the EU
GB News
"We voted to Leave. I have consistently voted to Leave, yes. What I'm now doing is I'm setting out a vision for a different future and that's why I'm building on the work that I've done in the past."
Speaking about his opinion on the ECHR, the leadership hopeful said: "The French don't apply the ECHR on the battlefield. The polls don't apply it in certain areas.
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"The Germans have kicked out 28 Afghans who committed rape and murder and kicked them back to Afghanistan. So you know if other European countries who are signatories of the ECHR can do that, why aren't we?"
When pressed by Camilla about his previous opposition to leaving the ECHR, Tugendhat clarified: "Well, that was no. The question was do I want to? No, I don't want to.
"I want to reform it. I want to change it and I want to make it work for the British people. Now, if that doesn't work, am I prepared to leave? Yes, absolutely."
In 2015, he argued that the ECHR should no longer apply to UK Armed Forces in wartime.
Camilla Tominey grilled the Tory leadership hopeful on his ECHR stance
During the 2023 Tory Party Conference, he expressed concerns about leaving the convention, citing potential impacts on the Good Friday Agreement and devolved administration.
The debate over the ECHR has intensified after the previoius government's Rwanda plan, with some candidates taking more hardline stances on leaving the convention.
Conservative MPs are in the process of voting for the person they want to replace Rishi Sunak as party leader.
Sunak announced his decision to quit after the Conservatives suffered worst electoral defeat in their parliamentary history.
Tugendhat said that he is "certain" that he will be in the final two
PATugendhat is one of the people with his hat in the ring , but is trailing behind Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick in polling.
When Camilla asked if he thought that he would be in the final two, Tugendhat said: "I am certain I will be."
He did add that he couldn't say who he thought he would be battling for leadership against.
