'The world will be safer under Donald Trump': Suella Braverman says she would vote for Republican if she was American as Tory rightwinger tipped for leadership bid says 'no wars were started' when he was last in the White House

Tory rightwinger Suella Braverman praised Donald Trump today, saying she would vote for him if she was American because of his track record of keeping the world safe.

The former home secretary said she would back the Republican candidate because 'no wars were started' when he was in the White House between 2016 and 2020.

Appearing as a guest host on LBC radio Ms Braverman, who is expected to make a bid for the conservative leadership in the autumn, admitted Trump was 'not right' to have challenged the result of the 2020 election.

But she said that he was the right person to retake power to rebuild the US economy and had been 'robust' on foreign policy - despite having praised autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping.  

She used her guest host appearance to lambast Kamala Harris as 'very much to the left of US politics, in some ways she is even to the left of Bernie Sanders.'  

She said:  'I want Trump to be president. If we look at the policy - don't look at the characters and the personalities - if we look at the policy, I think the world will be safer under Donald Trump.

'If we look at his record as president, you know, no wars were started while Donald Trump was president.'

She continued: 'I think there's been a real track record of peace and stability globally that we saw from Trump when he was president and that we can expect going forward. And right now the world is a very volatile place.

'I do think that we need a strong president in the White House. I personally would give my vote to Donald Trump were I an American citizen.' 

She also lashed out at Foreign Secretary David Lammy over previous remarks he has made about the former US president, accusing him of having 'Trump derangement syndrome'.

Tory leadership contenders are circling today after details of the timetable for replacing Rishi Sunak was revealed.

James Cleverly swiped at Ms Braverman Suella Braverman for 'factionalising' the party this morning as he indicated he is likely to stand.

At least half-a-dozen candidates are considering a tilt, with nominations due to open tomorrow at 7pm. The battle is shaping up to be a contest between One Nation and right-wing groupings - although members will have the final say before Mr Sunak is replaced on November 2.

The former PM has been persuaded to stick around instead of handing over to an interim leader, allowing the Conservative conference to be a beauty parade for would-be successors.

Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride are among the other potential challengers, although not all are guaranteed to clear the initial hurdle.

Hopefuls need the backing of at least ten of the 121 Tory MPs to take part in the first round of votes next week. 

The final four nominees will appear in front of the party conference in Birmingham to put forward their pitch, before the final two go to a postal vote of members.

Mr Sunak will remain acting party leader until November 2, when his successor will be crowned.

Mr Cleverly told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'Of course, I and a number of other people have thought about the future of our country, have thought about the contribution of the party and our personal contribution to those things.' 

Asked whether he had the backing of 10 MPs, needed to enter the first round of voting, the shadow home secretary told Sky News: 'I've had lots of very kind words from colleagues, both former colleagues and current colleagues.'

After Suella Braverman warned that the party risks becoming 'centrist cranks', Mr Cleverly said: 'Trying to carve up and divide up and factionalise … is the wrong way of thinking.'

His attack followed one at the weekend by shadow chancellor Mr Hunt. 

Appearing on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme Mr Hunt, who has ruled out running himself, said that the next Tory leader had to restore the Tory 'reputation for calm competence'.

 'In a two-party system, in the UK as we have, elections are always won from the centre ground,' he said.