Tory leadership hopeful Andrea Leadsom has revealed she would "never say never" to allowing a second Scottish independence referendum .
However the Prime Ministerial candidate insisted she opposes indyref2 despite refusing to rule out the prospect of another vote taking place.
The MP went on to claim that she is a "big believer in devolution".
Her comments come after the officially got underway as the ten Prime Ministerial candidates were confirmed yesterday.
She, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove , Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock, Esther McVey, Sajid Javid, Rory Stewart, Mark Harper and front runner Boris Johnson will now battle it out in the race to No10.
Speaking to journalists at lunchtime, Leadsom said: "The reason I say 'never say never' is because I do not think that there should be another independence referendum in Scotland, I do not think it's in their interest, but on the other hand I am a big believer in devolution.
"So, what I just want to say is I am not going to stand here and utterly rule it out because I think that that is disrespectful.
"But I would very strongly fight against a second referendum, which I don't think is in the interest of Scotland and it's definitely not in the interests of the UK.
"What I think we have to be doing is promote the strength of the UK working together far stronger, far more than we have done and I have a number of policy areas that I would use to try and make that happen."
It comes after Leadsom launched her bid to succeed Theresa May with a promise that delivering Brexit by October 31 would be a "hard red line".
The former leader of the House said she would ramp up preparations for the UK's departure from the EU "in all circumstances" if she entered No 10.
Leadsom, who quit last month over Theresa May's final attempt to get her deal over the line, warned Brexit could not be delayed any further.
"Over the past three years politics has failed dismally, it has failed to deliver on the biggest democratic decision in our history," she said.
"Fulfilling that democratic decision is urgent and vital, it cannot and will not be put off any longer.
"Leaving the EU on October 31 is for me a hard, red line."
