Asked what she thought when fellow candidate Dominic Raab said he would not describe himself as a feminist, she replies: "I think we should all be feminists."

She goes on: "50% of the world's population are women and the other 50% are only here because of women.

"I'm a total egalitarian... What's not to like about being a feminist? It makes its own argument."

And with that, the Leadsom launch is over.

Asked about the potential losers from a no-deal Brexit, Ms Leadsom says what she is promising is not no deal but a "managed exit".

She says leaving without an agreement would bring "an element of short-term disruption", but this could be "minimised" through contingency measures agreed with the EU.

Reality Check

The former leader of the House of Commons is proposing what she calls a "managed exit" rather than a renegotiation.

She wants the UK to leave the EU on 31 October and has proposed a "three step plan for Brexit":

• She would introduce a bill to deal with the rights of EU citizens in the UK and another bill, which would include "sensible measures" already negotiated and agreed such as the status of Gibraltar and goods already in circulation
• She would "significantly ramp up preparations" for leaving the EU at the end of October, including working on "alternative arrangements" for the Irish border
• She would lead a delegation of ministers to speak to key EU leaders and the UK would convene a summit in early September with the EU to agree "sensible measures" to "ensure a smooth exit"

Potential obstacles: While EU countries have made unilateral arrangements for a no-deal Brexit, they have so far been unwilling to reach agreements with the UK for such a situation.

Attempts to find alternative arrangements for the Irish border have also been unsuccessful so far.

Andrea Leadsom has now opened the floor to questions from journalists.

Asked how she would deliver her "managed exit" from the EU, she says her plan offers "sensible measures" that "sensible politicians" in the UK and EU will support.

Asked if she would prioritise tax cuts, she says she is a "low tax candidate", but achieving "fundamental tax reform" in a hung Parliament will not be possible.

"That needs to wait for a majority", she adds.

Turning to other policy areas, Mrs Leadsom says she would task a policy unit to come up with an action plan within 12 months for delivering a "zero-carbon future".

She also says she wants to allow people to keep more of their own income, support start-up businesses and promote self-build homes.

She also outlines ambitions to make free childcare "more flexible", and says she will pilot providing summer holiday meals for school children in greatest need at a local level.

She gets a round of applause from her audience with a pledge to make increased spending on the police a "top priority" for this autumn's spending review.

Andrea Leadsom also recaps her plan for what she calls a "managed exit" from the European Union.

This includes striking a "temporary trade agreement", and a plan to negotiate contingency arrangements with EU leaders over the summer recess, she says.

These could be discussed at a summit with the new incoming EU commissioners and heads of government at a summit in September, she adds.

Speaking at her launch event, the former Commons leader says the UK needs a new prime minister who is both "decisive" and "compassionate".

She says the need to deliver on the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum is "urgent", and politics has so far "failed to deliver" on the vote.

Leaving the EU by 31 October is for her a "hard red line", she says.

Andrea Leadsom has begun her launch, saying the UK needs to a leader who will "get things done", but who is "compassionate" too.

BBC News Channel

The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith says it will be "pretty difficult" for Rory Stewart, Andrea Leadsom and Mark Harper - who all have leadership launches today - to stand out in a "crowded field" of candidates.

The trio will probably have to be regarded as outsiders in the leadership race, he says.

He adds that Health Secretary Matt Hancock's pledge this morning to put his Brexit strategy to an immediate "in principle" vote in the Commons is a "hugely high-risk strategy", which would potentially send his premiership into "nosedive" if it were defeated.

However, he says that Mr Hancock has insisted it would be possible to win the vote as a new PM with a new mandate.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Veterans Minister Tobias Ellwood is out this morning, explaining his decision to back Matt Hancock.

He says the health secretary is "not making promises that can't be fulfilled", and is "not just going to play to the party's base".

Mr Ellwood also wants to see a new prime minister who understands the implications of new technologies, and can "press the reset button for our party".

He says his own stance is that he is opposed to leaving the EU without a deal, which he says "goes against the principles of the Conservative Party".