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Jeremy Hunt today makes a rallying cry for “Compassionate Conservatism”, saying the Tories must show they are not just a “money, money, money party” but have a “social mission” as well.

In an interview with the Evening Standard, the Foreign Secretary set out his ideas on how to win the “battle of values” against Labour by once again raising the “One Nation Conservatism” banner.

He said the painful battles since 2010 to repair the public finances and deliver Brexit had prevented David Cameron and Theresa May from getting public recognition for their One Nation beliefs.

“So we have really never had a chance to show the British people what One Nation Conservatism can be,” he said. “That I think has to be our mission because if we don’t win the battle of values, we won’t win over young people, and young people are not just the future of the country, they are the future of the Conservative Party.”

The interview was interrupted when Mr Hunt went to hear the Prime Minister address the 1922 Committee, where she said she would step down if her Brexit deal was passed, effectively firing the starting gun on a leadership contest.

The Foreign Secretary:

Declined to confirm or deny if he would throw his hat into the ring to succeed Mrs May, saying: “Right now it is heads down to get this deal over the line. That’s what every single person in the Cabinet should be focusing on.”

Said he “cannot see any circumstances” where he would ever support rejoining the European Union after Brexit is achieved.

Revealed that the EU may extend tomorrow’s deadline for Parliament to pass Mrs May’s Brexit deal until next week, giving the PM an extra weekend to get her DUP allies on board.

Admitted he is “a control freak” but claimed all top politicians have to be.

Mr Hunt said the best way to unite the country was by “moving on from Brexit” to show “that we have a burning social mission and we want to be a party for everyone”.

“I think when you look at the big issues that worry people, whether it is knife crime or illiteracy or homelessness, we have to show people that, actually, when it comes down to it who do you trust to deliver these? The party that talks about these things but in the end would wreck the economy and compromise our security? Or the party that has actually got a proven track record of creating the wealth that in the end is the thing that is needed to sort out all these social ills.”

He said the Tories had created 1,000 jobs a day since taking office in 2010 and were the only party that understood how to create wealth. “But we have also got to have a social mission,” he went on. “People have got to see that we are not the money, money, money party. We have consistently failed in my political lifetime to win the battle of values.”

Commenting on the indicative votes staged in the Commons yesterday, Mr Hunt said: “I don’t think this process has taken us forward. All it’s done is reveal what we already knew which is that there is no majority for any option.”

He claimed: “I suspect that if the Prime Minister’s deal had been voted on it would have topped the poll.” Mr Hunt said it was “inconceivable” to him that Speaker John Bercow would refuse to allow a third vote on it.

He paid tribute to the Prime Minister for announcing she would stand down if her deal went through. “I think the decision the Prime Minister took proved ... that this is someone who puts their duty to country ahead of anything else,” he said. “I think the overwhelming feeling among MPs was of respect [for] the Prime Minister for doing everything she can to try and deliver Brexit.”

He said there was a “sense of determination” at the 1922 Committee to get the deal over the line. “You know there is only momentum now in one direction, and that is towards the Prime Minister’s deal ... Every day we get closer towards being able to get that deal over the line.”