Leadsom: I Would Clamp Down On Putin As PM

Tory leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom has claimed she would tell Vladimir Putin to "abide by international law" if she becomes Prime Minister.

When asked how she would deal with a diplomatic incident involving the Russian president, Mrs Leadsom asserted that she would take a hard stance.

The Energy Minister told Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam: "My overall approach to Putin would be to absolutely tell him he needs to abide by international law.

"What we have seen is a gradual encroachment with some really quite brutal activities that we need to try to get under control."

Mrs Leadsom added that if she wins the Tory leadership contest she would work to "make sure that all leaders stay within international law". 

She said: "At home we need to be working very hard to ensure we have got the diplomatic contacts and the ability to rein in those people who just want to do their own thing and expand their own activities outside of international law."

Mrs Leadsom came second behind Theresa May in the second round of voting among Tory MPs.

Both now go forward to a ballot of Conservative party members to decide which of them will become the UK's second female Prime Minister.

In a speech earlier, Mrs Leadsom pitched herself as the "prosperity not austerity" candidate in the race to become the next Prime Minister.

She told supporters she was the voice of optimism and would "banish pessimism" in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Mrs Leadsom also promised to listen to the thousands of people who felt they had been ignored by the country's leadership.

The Tory leadership candidate has indicated that if elected she would look to repeal the fox hunting ban.

In an interview with ITV she also admitted that she "did not like" the gay marriage law passed in 2013 because of "very clear hurt caused to many Christians".