Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss said she would be willing to unleash nuclear war if she becomes Prime Minister.
The Foreign Secretary - who looks increasingly likely to succeed Boris Johnson in the top office - said she was "ready" to hit the nuclear button if needed - even though it would mean "global annihilation".
"I think it's an important duty of the prime minister and I'm ready to do that," Truss said during a meeting of Conservative Party members in Birmingham on Tuesday when asked how she felt about pressing "the button" and unleashing "global annihilation" if necessary.
The top British diplomat seemed emotionless as she firmly stated she would order the launch of nuclear weapons in response to the event's host, John Pienaar, who said that he would feel "physically sick" at the prospect, according to local reports.
During the hustings event comprising of Tory party faithful at the NEC in Birmingham, Pienaar quizzed Truss about the potential outlook, telling her, "One of the first things that will happen when and if you become prime minister, you'll be ushered into a room, a very private room at Number 10, and there will be laid out in front of you what are called the letters of last resort."
"Your orders to our Trident boat captain on whether you, Prime Minister Liz Truss, is giving the order to unleash nuclear weapons. It would mean global annihilation. I won't ask you if you would press the button, you'll say yes, but faced with that task, I would feel physically sick," Pienaar said.
He then asked, "How does that thought make you feel?"
Truss responded by saying, "I think it's an important duty of the prime minister and I'm ready to do that," repeating, "I'm ready to do that."
Truss and former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak are the two final candidates in the election race in the Conservative Party for the post of prime minister, which came after Johnson announced his resignation on July 7 after facing numerous political scandals.
The last round of voting in the Tory leadership race is underway and will last until early September. During the last round, all members of the party — nearly 200,000 people — will choose the winner from the two finalists. The voting will take place by mail. Johnson's successor will be announced on September 5.
ZZ/PR
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