Tory leadership frontrunner Tom Tugendhat has said he is willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights as he moves to secure support from the right of the party.

Mr Tugendhat is widely expected to be the standard-bearer for the centre of the party in the forthcoming leadership race, however is now making overtures to widen his popularity.

In an article for the Telegraph, Mr Tugendhat warned that institutions making it harder for Britain to control its borders will either have to get out of the way and stop frustrating elected politicians, or face the UK withdrawing entirely.

He argues that the Tory leadership race will not be divisive, as the party already largely agrees on many of the main issues.

Mr Tugendhat writes: “Some people think the Conservative leadership election will be divisive, splitting the party. That’s wrong because actually, there’s a long list of things this election isn’t about.

“The ECHR. Gender. Tax rates. Defence spending. Net zero.

“These are things that aren’t up for debate in this leadership election. Why not? Because politics is about principles and all Conservatives are guided by our basic principles here.”

On the ECHR, he says the party agrees that if any institution does not serve the British people, and makes it harder to control our borders, “we will have to exempt ourselves from them, or leave their jurisdiction”.

He suggests that despite the constant squabbling in Government over the past few years, the Tories remain united on basic principles, compared to Labour who are already “squabbling”.

He said: “The Left is fighting with the Soft Left on welfare. Angela is sad that Rachel stole her housing announcement. No one likes Ed. An apparatchik called Morgan is arguing with an apparatchik called Sue about who gets the big desk and who gets to go to summits.”

The centre-ground candidate insists that the Tories’ time in opposition will not be about policy debates, but regaining trust with voters.

Mr Tugendhat says the Tories promised many of the right policies over the last five years, however “we just didn’t deliver”.

He said: “That’s not a story of Left or Right. It’s not a story of factions or families. It’s a simple truth.

“The British people wanted control – over their lives, streets, borders, trade and much more – and instead we lost it.

“We couldn’t deliver because we were too focused on fighting each other, not on delivering for the people of this country, the families who rely on us to see our promises through.”

He also makes a big pitch on defence spending, saying it’s essential to “secure the country’s future” with 3% of GDP going on security.

Mr Tugendhat also emphasises his record as someone who served “King and Country” in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I fought them again in government as security minister under two Conservative prime ministers. I didn’t win every argument I had then, but I won the important fight, to keep the country safe from terrorism. I said I’d stand up to dictators, which is why China’s Communist government has sanctioned me, hacked me and targeted me.”

Mr Tugendhat is the second candidate to formally declare, after former Home Secretary James Cleverly.

Five others are expected to launch, namely Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Suella Braverman.

Nominations opened last night and will close in four days, with each candidate requiring 10 backers to make it through to the next round.