It's Tom Poo-gendhat! Tory leadership hopeful Tugendhat 'forced to change his campaign slogan after it was discovered to spell T-U-R-D'

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat was forced into a last-minute change to his campaign slogan following a massive blunder, it has emerged.

The former security minister last night launched his bid to replace Rishi Sunak and claimed he could lead the Conservatives to victory at the next general election.

But, according to the Guido Fawkes blog, his leadership bid risked early embarrassment when his campaign website went live.

It reported how the website, titled TomforLeader.uk, initially featured the slogan: 'Together we can, UNITE THE PARTY. REBUILD TRUST. DEFEAT LABOUR.'

And, awkwardly, those words were displayed in a way that spelled out 'T-U-R-D'.

Mr Tugendhat's website now carries the slogan: 'Together we can, UNITE THE PARTY. REBUILD TRUST. WIN BACK THE COUNTRY.'

The 51-year-old today attempted to win over Tory backers for his leadership bid by saying he has a 'track record of delivery' for the British people.

He told GB News he was willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and denied that his change of stance on the issue was political opportunism.

'No, I've been very, very clear I am prepared to make any decision that will keep the British people safe,' he said.

'I am prepared to leave the ECHR, or indeed any other institution that doesn't serve the interests of the British people.'

Mr Tugendhat said he believed he could turn around the Tories' disastrous result to win an election as leader of the Conservative Party in five years' time.

But he warned the party needs to 'be united' and 'regain the trust of the British people'.

James Cleverly, the former home secretary, and Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, have also both formally launched their bids for the Tory leadership.

Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, Mel Stride and Dame Priti Patel are also expected to join the race.

Nominations will close at 2.30pm on Monday and contenders need a proposer, seconder and eight other Conservative MP backers to stand.

The parliamentary party will then narrow the field down to four, who will make their case at the Conservative Party conference, which runs from September 29 to October 2.

The final two, picked by the parliamentary party, will then go to a vote of Conservative Party members in an online ballot that will close on October 31 with the result announced on November 2.