Tom Tugendhat has slated the Government’s response to recent riots, saying the chaos could have been stopped sooner.
The Conservative politician, currently running for the party’s vacant leadership role, criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over a “failure of leadership”.
Parts of the UK suffered far-right riots in early August, with thugs looting shops and attacking people of colour — among other offences.
The tension has largely subsided as a growing number of people face the music and extended jail sentences for their part in the violence.
Mr Tugendhat, however, argued that not enough was done by the Government because rioters left people fearing for their safety.
“When we needed a leader, we got a lawyer waiting for the case to reach court,” he said on Tuesday (August 13).
“[The Government] could have cancelled leave, extended mutual aid, and confronted the rioters earlier with an overwhelming police presence.”
Mr Tugendhat’s outburst came only weeks after he announced his bid to become the next Tory Party leader.
Launching his campaign in the Telegraph in July, he said the party would not be divided on “common-sense” issues such as gender, taxes, defence, and net zero.
“We know that if institutions do not serve the British people and make it harder to control our own borders, then we will have to exempt ourselves from them, or leave their jurisdiction. We know what a woman is. We all want lower taxes. We all know national security must come before Treasury spreadsheets.
“We all know that energy security and household bills come first.
“These are common-sense Conservative positions. They are non-negotiable for me and, I would hope, for anyone else who puts themselves forward.”
He added: “I am not just running to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. I am running to be the next Conservative prime minister.”
So who is Tom Tugendhat and what is his background?
Here’s what you need to know:
Who is Tom Tugendhat?
Mr Tugendhat, 51, has been MP for the safe seat of Tonbridge (formerly Tonbridge and Malling) since 2015, having left a successful career in the military to enter politics.
He is viewed as a moderate within the Conservative ranks, having been outspoken, particularly about the military. For instance, he has called for greater spending on defence.
Mr Tugendhat identifies as Jewish, has led antisemitism marches, and has two children with his wife Anissia Morel — a French civil servant and lawyer.
He received an MBE for his military work in 2010, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What roles has he had in Government?
Mr Tugendhat held several notable roles in Government since entering Parliament, before Labour assumed power after the general election in July 2024:
Minister of State for Security (July 2022 – September 2022): He was appointed to this role under Prime Minister Liz Truss. In this position, he oversaw the security services and national security policy.
Minister without Portfolio (September 2022 – September 2023): He continued in a role that involved a broad range of responsibilities across different policy areas. This role often involves working on cross-government issues and supporting the prime minister's agenda.
Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee (2015 – 2022): Before taking on ministerial roles, Mr Tugendhat was the Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. This position gave him significant influence over the scrutiny of foreign policy and international relations.
Mr Tugendhat has not been shy about his ambitions after announcing his Tory Party leadership bid in July 2024.
“That is what this leadership election is all about: winning,” he said. “We can’t serve the British people if we don’t win the next general election.
“We can win it. We must win it. I can lead the party to that victory.”
Has he run for the Tory leadership before?
Mr Tugendhat is running for the second time after his campaign in 2022 came up short when a crowded field ran to replace Boris Johnson. He came fourth overall.
Mr Tugendhat has the backing of influential Tories Damian Green and Steve Baker, with the pair endorsing his leadership credentials in July 2024.
“Our leader must be someone who can communicate robust ideas with resolve and humility so that the nation is carried, not divided,” they jointly said.
“For these reasons — not despite but because we are from different wings of the Conservative Party — we both see Tom Tugendhat as the individual to deliver the leadership we need.”
Who else has announced Tory leadership bids?
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly was the first to announce he would run.
Other names in the fray include Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, Kemi Badenoch, and Dame Priti Patel.
Victoria Atkins, Suella Braverman, and Jeremy Hunt ruled themselves out.
The parliamentary party will narrow the list to four candidates, who will make their case to members at the Conservative Conference in Birmingham between September 29 and October 2.
MPs will then vote again, on October 9 and 10, until two candidates remain.
The party membership will vote on the two remaining candidates on October 31.
