UK Politics Live: Tory Leadership Rival Hits Back At Jenrick Claim, Saying ‘our Military Do Not Murder People’

NewsUKUK PoliticsLeadership rival Tom Tugendhat says he is ‘extremely concerned’ at Mr Jenrick’s remarks, while fellow contender James Cleverly urged him to justify his statement

Immigrants who see Israel as enemy ‘not welcome’ in UK says Kemi Badenoch

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Robert Jenrick has drawn criticism for his own colleagues for doubling down on a claim that UK special forces are “killing rather than capturing terrorists”.

The frontrunner to replace Rishi Sunak defended his assertion that the military is taking lethal action because of fears that European laws would free any detained assailants as “absolutely correct”.

Asked on Tuesday whether he could back up the claim, he insisted he could not “elaborate on particular cases.

Leadership rival Tom Tugendhat said he was “extremely concerned” at Mr Jenrick’s remarks.

Former foreign secretary and fellow contender James Cleverly urged him to justify his statement.

“The British military always abide by international humanitarian law, the law of armed conflict,” he said.

“We have, I was about to say some of the most… no, we have the most professional military in the world. Our military do not murder people.”

Former Conservative attorney general Dominic Grieve described the clip as “one of the most astonishing videos I have ever seen posted by a Conservative MP, let alone a candidate for the leadership”.

The Independent’s political team will be reporting live throughout the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

1727789740Jenrick suggests he would consider giving Boris Johnson a job if he becomes Tory leaderRobert Jenrick has suggested he would consider giving Boris Johnson a job if he becomes the next leader of the Tory party, saying: “Let’s get the Conservative family back together”.

Asked what job he would give the former prime minister, Mr Jenrick joked: “I haven’t read his book yet so I want to wait and see what he’s said about me before answering that question.”

“The Conservative party is in a hole right now, we need to get all our best players on the pitch.

“Now people can do that in many different ways. In parliament, out of parliament, campaigning advising, so if I was lucky enough to lead this party, Boris, Penny Mordaunt, Andy Street – let’s get the Conservative family back together.

“Let’s get back in business again”, he added.

Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 14:35

1727789430Robert Jenrick reveals that his daughter’s middle name is ‘Thatcher’Robert Jenrick has revealed that his daughter’s middle name is “Thatcher” because she was born the year Margaret Thatcher died.

Being interviewed on the main stage of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, the former immigration minister said he thought it would be a “good way of reminding her of a great prime minister.”

Asked what his daughter’s middle name is, Mr Jenrick responded: “You’re embarrassing her now.”

“It is Margaret Thatcher”, he joked, adding: “No, it’s not, it’s ‘Thatcher’.

“She was born the year Margaret Thatcher died. As I respect strong women – in fact, everyone is female in my house, I’ve got three daughters, my wife and two dogs which are both female – I thought it was a good way of reminding her of a great prime minister.”

Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 14:30

1727789322Pictured: Robert Jenrick addresses the Conservative Party Conference

(Jacob King/PA Wire)

(Jacob King/PA Wire)

(Jacob King/PA Wire)Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 14:28

1727789252Tory leader candidate doubles down on claim special forces are killing terrorists Asked whether he believes “special forces are killing rather than capturing terrorists because lawyers will set them free under the European Court”, Robert Jenrick replied: “I do, I do.”

The Conservative Party told delegates and activists in Birmingham: “Our very respected former colleague Ben Wallace, one of the best defence secretaries in modern times, used his first intervention after leaving office to make almost this very point.

“He said that he would think it was difficult for the UK, our armed forces, to conduct a similar operation to the one that the United States did to kill or capture Osama bin Laden.

“That’s wrong. I don’t want our human rights apparatus to be standing in the way of taking the right operational decisions for our national security and for protecting the lives of the brave men and women who serve in our special forces.”

Holly Evans1 October 2024 14:27

1727789061Jenrick reflects on decision to resign from Sunak’s cabinet Questioned about his resignation from Rishi Sunak’s cabinet before the election, Robert Jenrick saidit was a “very sad” decision and said: “I didn’t want to be just another minister who makes and breaks promises.”

He said that he disagreed with the Rwanda Bill as it was presented and would have been unable to convince colleagues of “that it was a good bill when I knew it was a bad bill”.

“And that was wrong for me as an individual, wrong for our party. And I don’t want our party to keep making and breaking promises on things that matter so much to this country. That is immensely damaging to this party and immensely damaging to trust in politics.”

When told he“contributed” to the election defeat in July by resigning, he said he was always a “team player” and had developed a reputation as “immensely loyal” to the Conservative Party.

Holly Evans1 October 2024 14:24

1727788508Robert Jenrick says he would turn down freebies Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has said he would turn down freebies, referencing the recent controversy that has surrounded Sir Keir Starmer.

When asked if his family was ready for the scrutiny he would face if elected as leader of the party, he said: “I’ve got three young girls and they have all been reading the papers, reading the news. And one of them said to me the other day does this mean we’re going to get free tickets to Taylor Swift? And I said to Sophia, no that’s only for leaders of the Labour Party.”

Asked whether he would turn down free gifts, Mr Jenrick laughed and said: “Yes, I will.”

Holly Evans1 October 2024 14:15

1727788188Jenrick faces heat from Tory rivals as he appears on conference main stageRobert Jenrick is facing heat from his Tory leadership rivals for claiming UK special forces are “killing rather than capturing terrorists”, as he is set to appear on the Conservative conference main stage.

Mr Jenrick, frontrunner in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak, suggested in a campaign video the British military is taking lethal action because of fears that European human rights laws would free any detained assailants.

He was met with swift criticism from his campaign rivals.

Former security minister Tom Tugendhat suggested it demonstrated “a fundamental misunderstanding” of the law of armed conflict.

James Cleverly – who will also appear on the main stage at the Birmingham conference on Tuesday – told broadcasters Mr Jenrick would have to “justify that statement”.

Leadership contender Robert Jenrick is due to face questions at the conference main stage (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)Holly Evans1 October 2024 14:09

1727787465Watch live: Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly address Tory party conferenceHolly Evans1 October 2024 13:57

1727786882Half Tory members want party to merge with Reform, poll for Liz Truss’s thinktank revealsA new survey commissioned by a rightwing thinktank has suggested that 53 per cent of Conservative Party members would support a merger with Reform UK.

A huge 70 per cent said they would want a closer relationship with Nigel Farage’s party, the survey showed.

The poll, which was conducted between September 23 and 27, spoke to 470 Tory members by the rightwing Popular Conservatism (PopCon) organisation, which founded by disgraced former prime minister Liz Truss.

Read the full article here:

Holly Evans1 October 2024 13:48

1727785786Tory policies drive wedge between young and old people, conference hearsTory policies such as the national service scheme drive a wedge between the younger and older generations, the Conservative Party conference has heard.

In its election manifesto, the party pledged to make national service compulsory for 18-year-olds, with the choice of military service or one weekend a month volunteering locally.

The policy, which was estimated to cost £2.5 billion, received a ministerial backlash, with then-Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker arguing the proposal was “sprung on candidates”.

On Tuesday, North Tyneside councillor Olly Scargill said: “I think in the general election some of what we campaigned upon was a wedge issue, wedge issues between young people and older people.

“Things like national service was probably designed to play off younger people and older people, and when you’ve got a rising age of Conservative voter it is incredibly unsustainable.”

Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 13:29