Leadsom 'disgusted' after row breaks out over alleged comments about motherhood
Video report by ITV News Anglia's Chloe Keedy
A row has erupted after South Northamptonshire MP and Conservative leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom allegedly told a newspaper that being a mother makes her a better choice to be Prime Minister than her rival Theresa May.
Leadsom was quoted in The Times as saying that being a parent means she has a "very real stake" in Britain's future.
Leadsom has since reacted angrily to the publishing of the article, writing on Twitter that she was "disgusted" and labelling the interview as "despicable and hateful reporting".
The interview has made the front page of the newspaper today and also quotes Leadsom as saying that her fellow leadership candidate May must be "really sad" that she doesn't have children herself.
"Theresa possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people. But I have children who are going to have children who will directly be part of what happens next," she said.
"I am sure Theresa will be really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't', because I think that would be really horrible."
May is yet to personally respond to the report, but did post a tweet this morning urging Leadsom to sign up to her 'clean campaign' pledge.
The Times' deputy editor Emma Tucker has tweeted what she claimed was a transcript from the interview in a bid to prove the comments were genuine.