Andrea Leadsom apologises to Theresa May over motherhood comments
Andrea Leadsom has apologised to Theresa May after saying motherhood would give her an "edge" in the Conservative leadership race and make her a better prime minister.
Leadsom has insisted the comments, made in an interview with the Times on Saturday, were misquoted.
"I've already said to Theresa how very sorry I am for any hurt I have caused and how that article said completely the opposite of what I said and believe," Leadsom said today in an interview with the Telegraph.
"I was pressed to say how my children had formed my views. I didn't want it to be used as an issue."
She also said that having children has "no bearing on the ability to be prime minister" and that she has felt "under attack" and " under enormous pressure" since she made the comments.
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The energy minister has also faced scrutiny over her CV, which published last week, after claims she had overstated her role in some of City jobs.
She also published details of her tax return yesterday after, becoming one of the two final candidates to succeed David Cameron. Leadsom was faced mounting pressure to publish her tax affairs after a company linked to her family used a potential tax avoidance mechanism.
May remains the strong favourite to succeed Cameron as prime minister. The final two candidates will be voted on by party members, with the Conservatives planning to choose a new leader by 9 September.