Andrea Leadsom has dramatically pulled out of the Conservative leadership race.

Mrs Leadsom quit just 48 hours after she was accused of suggesting she would make a better Prime Minister because Mrs May does not have children.

READ MORE: Tory leadership race: Andrea Leadsom apologises to Theresa May over motherhood comments

In an interview with The Times: "Genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake."

She also said that Mrs May "possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next".

Her allies rallied around and accused Conservative MPs of using under-hand techniques against her.

READ MORE: Tory leadership race: Andrea Leadsom apologises to Theresa May over motherhood comments

But just two days later Mrs Leadsom has confirmed that she has quit the contest to become the Tory leader and Prime Minister.

She said that a nine-week leadership campaign in the wake of the Brexit vote was "highly undesirable".

The UK needed a new Prime Minister in place "as soon as possible".

READ MORE: Tory leadership race: Andrea Leadsom apologises to Theresa May over motherhood comments

She said that Mrs May was "ideally placed" to implement Brexit on the best possible terms for the British people.

And she said she felt she had failed to secure enough support among Tory MPs in a vote last week.