TORY leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick was under fire today for unevidenced claims that British soldiers were being forced to kill rather than accept surrenders because of human rights law.

It is the latest extreme position taken by Mr Jenrick in his bid to corral the right-wing vote in the leadership election.

Former ministers queued up to criticise his latest claim, asserting that it is untrue and pointing out that it would discourage adversaries from surrendering to British troops if they thought they would be shot anyway.