Jeremy Hunt appeared to struggle to explain why people should vote Conservative while speaking at an event in London.

The foreign secretary said voters should opt for his party “because you believe in Conservative policies".

When pressed again at an event on Tuesday, he tried to give a fuller answer.

“Okay, let me give you another reason,” he said, according to The Guardian.

“Let me have another stab at it.

Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys

“Because we are not going to solve this problem by retreating to populist extremes.”

Mr Hunt’s comments come ahead of the 23 May European elections, with a new poll predicting that the Conservative Party could come fifth, as Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party surges.

The Tories also lost more than 1,300 council seats in this month’s local elections.

On Tuesday the Cabinet minister said both the Conservatives and Labour would be “crucified” by voters if they failed to solve the current Brexit stalemate.

“Both of us will be crucified by our base if we went into a general election having promised that we would respect the referendum result, not having respected it,” he said.

“And I think the lesson of the local elections is that the downside for Labour is as big as the downside for us.

“I don’t think it’s impossible that there could be a deal there.”

Cross-party talks between Labour and the Conservatives are continuing but both sides have expressed frustration at a lack of progress.

“I think it’s actually impressive that it’s lasted as long at it has,” he said.

“But, I don’t think anyone can be confident of an outcome one way or the other.”

Despite the ongoing deadlock the 52-year-old insisted that there was no need for a second referendum or a general election.

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“I think you can never discount any of these potential outcomes,” he said.

“But I think a general election and a second referendum are my least likely outcomes because Brexit divides all the parties.

“It is difficult to see how a general election, particularly, changes the situation, and I also think it is very, very unpopular for MPs, for understandable reasons.”

Asked if the next Tory leader would embrace the option of a no-deal, the foreign secretary said: “I think it is very difficult... to get a successful outcome to a negotiation if the other side thinks you will never walk away.

“And I think in a way, that has been part of the reason why we have come to the impasse in the current negotiations, because the other side, Europeans, have sensed that the UK isn’t prepared to walk away, and that has meant that they have not been prepared to be as flexible as they might otherwise have been.”

“No-deal remains the default legal position and we continue to make preparations for a no-deal scenario,” Theresa May’s spokesperson said in response to Mr Hunt’s comments.

“Parliament has, however, clearly expressed the view that it wants the UK to leave with a deal and that is what the PM is working to deliver.”