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Mr Hunt says the government "needs to approach these negotiations in a very smart way," and if nothing has happened by October, then the country will be closer to a general election which would "annihilate" the party.

He says if the UK approaches the negotiations in an "ultra-hard way", then the EU will give an "ultra-hard response".

"I will never take action to provoke a general election before we have delivered Brexit because that would be absolutely fatal for our party," he says.

"No government I lead will ever seek to change the law on abortion," says Jeremy Hunt.

He told Sky News on Sunday he had long believed that the legal limit should be cut from 24 to 12 weeks, but it was "a personal view" only.

Asked whether he has ever committed a criminal act, Jeremy Hunt said no.

He told the launch that he was "really wracking my brain at the moment" to think about it, but "the answer is no".

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Laura Kuenssberg asks what European leaders have said to him privately about the withdrawal deal, given that in public they insist they are unwilling to re-open discussions on it.

He insists that within Brussels, there is a willingness to engage" to try and solve the Northern Irish border issue.

Responding to a question on the seriousness of candidates, Mr Hunt says that if the party continues to look at itself as divided into Remainers or Leavers, then "we will never get through as a party".

He reiterates that the party is "committed to delivering the result of the referendum".

"If we want a deal, we are going to have to engage seriously with Brussels," he states. He says he thinks the EU now understands that the backstop will not be approved by Parliament so something has to change.

Back to "seriousness", he says he doesn't want to talk specifically about any of his rivals...

Mr Hunt says he would be the first prime minister in over a century to be from a marginal seat, which he says means he knows how to win voters.

"The lessons from the European and Peterborough elections are clear," he says, adding that "we would allow Labour" to win seats if an election were to be called before the UK leaves the EU.

"We need tough negotiation, not empty rhetoric," he tells the room. "We need a prime minister who can negotiate better promises."

Jeremy Hunt tries to expand his message beyond Brexit too, saying: "We need to broaden our appeal, to Remainers, to women," and other groups. He also says he wants the UK to become "a hub of innovation" in technology and to end illiteracy.

"I want the Conservatives to get their mojo back" and win over young people, he adds.

Conservative leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt says "our failure to deliver Brexit has put our country and party in grave peril".

He says unless that can be rectified, then there may be no Conservative government or party to speak of - it will be "annihilated".

He takes a moment to pay tribute to Theresa May, saying: "History will be more generous to her than the newspapers of today."

He says that Margaret Thatcher inspired many to go into politics, but she inspired him to start his business.

Penny Mordaunt, who was rumoured to be running herself, is now speaking at the Jeremy Hunt campaign launch.

She says that the new prime minister needs to "grip the challenges of our times".

"I trust him on Brexit because I've seen him in cabinet over the past year," she says.

"I've seen him deliver on the things that matter most to the British people," she continues.

It's especially interesting that as a committed Brexiteer, Ms Mordaunt has chosen to back Jeremy Hunt - who backed Remain - rather than the likes of Boris Johnson or Michael Gove who campaigned to Leave as well.

Penny Mordaunt tells the foreign secretary's campaign launch: "My name will be on Jeremy Hunt's nomination papers today."

Dominic Raab told his campaign launch he would not change the law on abortion, saying it was "broadly right".

The comments come after his fellow contender Jeremy Hunt said in his "personal view", he would drop the legal time limit from 24 weeks to 12.

Asked about it at the launch, Mr Raab said: "I wouldn't change it, and I tend to advocate things as a politician that I believe in my private life as well."

Dominic Raab launches a fairly direct attack on Boris Johnson and his tax cut for the better off announced today.

Mr Raab says "the caricature that you're the party of privilege and you're only in it to help the wealthy" does not apply to him because of his background and upbringing.

He says his tax promises would be focused on helping "the very poorest in work" and questions whether a cut for the well-off could get through Parliament anyway.

Instead, he says it's better to "confront Jeremy Corbyn with a tax cut that will benefit people in Labour constituencies", adding that "it's the right thing and the smart thing" to do.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Laura Kuenssberg asks how Dominic Raab will deliver Brexit.

Mr Raab says he is the only candidate who wants a "targeted, forensic change to the backstop" and adds that he is determined to leave at the end of October.

"We've got to get beyond Brexit" too, he argues.