The Today programme host repeatedly pressed the Tory leadership candidate for details over his bizarre remark.

Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick has defended his claim that British special forces are “killing rather than capturing terrorists”. The former immigration minister made the comment in a video promoting his bid to be the party's leader.

When asked if he backed his claim about the conduct of special forces, Jenrick told activists in Birmingham: “I do". Speaking on stage at a conference event, Jenrick said human rights laws would make it “difficult” for British forces to “conduct a similar operation to the one that the United States did to kill or capture Osama bin Laden”.