FORMER security minister Tom Tugendhat has said he was running to become leader of the Conservative Party, which lost the general election to Keir Starmer's Labour Party after being in power for 14 years.
Britain's Conservative Party is set to name its new leader on November 2 after its worst-ever election performance prompted former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to say he would stand down.
The leadership contest will see the party narrow the field of nominations to four candidates who will make their case at the Conservative Party conference. The nominations will then further narrow to two candidates after which party members will vote for a leader.
"The Conservative Party can win the next election. Trust me. I will make it happen." Tugendhat wrote in an article for the Telegraph newspaper on Wednesday as he joins race to replace Sunak.
"We lost the trust of the British people, because we didn't do what we said we would," Tugendhat wrote in reference to the election. "We must secure our country's future for the generations of today and tomorrow," he added.
Tugendhat's announcement came a day after former British foreign minister James Cleverly said he was running to be the leader of the Conservative Party. (Reuters)
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images