A Tory leadership candidate today pledged a massive expansion of the HS2 rail line that could cost tens of billions of pounds.
The controversial Y-shaped line is meant to reach Manchester and the East Midlands by the 2040s, with trains continuing further north on existing track.
But Mr Tugendhat told the BBC : “I would make sure the HS2 tracks went all the way to Scotland."
That would be a major reworking of the railway, after Tory ministers axed plans for the eastern leg to continue to Leeds just months ago.
Ministers have also already ditched a 13-mile, £2bn stretch of track - the Golborne Link - which would have connected the HS2 line to the West Coast Main Line to Glasgow.
It was not immediately clear if Mr Tugendhat’s comment was a slip of the tongue.
A campaign source played down his promise, saying his point was Brits need to be thinking about how to use infrastructure to boost growth.
They added: “Tom is steadfastly committed to the Union. As part of his ten year plan for growth he will explore all infrastructure options for better connecting all parts of the UK.
“High quality infrastructure in our roads, railways and digital will boost productivity, creating jobs and prosperity.”
Mr Tugendhat is one of five remaining Tory leadership candidates and could be knocked out in a ballot of MPs tomorrow night. Only two will be voted on by the 180,000-strong Tory membership.
His rival Penny Mordaunt today declared she will give Brits extra cost-of-living help this Autumn - but won’t tell anyone what it is.
“There will need to be some decisions taken at a proper fiscal event this Autumn,” she said - despite already announcing billions in tax cuts.
Contender Liz Truss announced billions of pounds of tax cuts in a hustings on Friday, including reversing corporation tax and National Insurance hikes and pausing green levies on energy bills.
Elsewhere Mr Tugendhat said Boris Johnson ’s Partygate excuses were “rather more fictional than reality”.
Ms Mordaunt refused to say if she'd give Mr Johnson a Cabinet job, though she added: “I don’t think he would be around to serve."
And both Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat both ruled out leaving the European Convention on Human Rights after Liz Truss left the idea on the table.
Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat both backed the target to hit Net Zero emissions by 2050 but added caveats.
And Mr Tugendhat slammed the plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as a “totem” - a symbol - but added it “is necessary”.
Despite pledging a “clean start” he said: “The way it will work is by showing extremely clearly that Britain simply does not tolerate human trafficking and the misery of slavery.”
