Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom: How the Conservative leadership candidates compare on policies

There are some differences between the two candidates to be Britain's next Prime Minister

Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May hope to convince Tory members that they can lead the country (Getty)

There are now two candidates left in the Conservative party leadership contest: Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom.

Both will now be put to Conservative party members, and whoever wins will become both leader of the Tory party and British Prime Minister.

Here are how their political positions compare.

Immigration

Freedom of movement presents a dilemma (Getty)

Theresa May

Says controlling EU immigration must be a part of the Brexit deal, but says single market access has “priority”. Sent vans through Britain telling illegal immigrants to “go home”.

Andrea Leadsom

Says “freedom of movement will end” – and that she’ll propose some kind of “third way” to retain EU free trade.

Economy

Both candidates say they want to help the poor (Getty)

Theresa May

Has ruled out holding an emergency budget. Says she wants to run on a “one nation” programme “that works not for the privileged but for everyone”.

Andrea Leadsom

Says that “the richest people in Britain will not be my priority,” but has backed stripping away workers’ right. Previously suggested exempting small companies from paying the minimum wage and cutting maternity pay rights.

Same-sex marriage

Researchers, who examined the daily experiences of LGBT+ women, found they face a slew of issues in the workplace and many are 'in the closet at work' (Getty)

Theresa May

Voted for same-sex marriage, but previously voted against repealing section 28, reducing the age of consent for gay sex, and civil partnerships.

Andrea Leadsom

Abstained on same-sex marriage and this week said she “didn’t like” the legislation. Says weddings in churches should only be between a man and a woman and that equal marriage “hurts Christians”.

Welfare

Neither contender objected to the Government's current welfare policy (Getty)

Theresa May

Voted for the Conservatives’ welfare cuts.

Andrea Leadsom

Voted for the Conservatives’ welfare cuts.

Brexit

The Royal College of Physicians has warned Brexit could harm patient care and public health, in a major intervention in the EU referendum debate (iStock)

Theresa May

Campaigned for Remain but now says she will accept the result. Says she’ll get the “best possible” settlement, prioritise single market access but get some controls on immigration.

Andrea Leadsom

Campaigned for Leave and appeared in a television debate at Wembley Arena in support of quitting the EU. In 2013 she said leaving the EU would be a “disaster” but has since said she changed her mind.

Fox hunting

One poll has revealed that eight out of ten Britons are against the fox hunting ban being lifted (Getty)

Theresa May

Supports fox hunting. Described by Brian May as “that well-known lovely advocate of fox-hunting”.

Andrea Leadsom

Says she’ll bring forward a vote in parliament to repeal the hunting ban. Says bringing back fox hunting with hounds would be good for “animal welfare”.