U.K.'s prime minister race heats up with Andrea Leadsom motherhood comments

LONDON, July 9 (UPI) -- Andrea Leadsom, one of the candidates in the race for Britain's prime minister, suggested that her role as a mother meant she was a better candidate for the job than her opponent, Theresa May.

Leadsom reportedly told The Times that having children means she has "a very real stake" in the future of the country. She has come under fire for her comments, which she says were taken out of context.

"(I am) disgusted about how this has been presented," Leadsom said. "In the course of a lengthy interview yesterday, I was repeatedly asked about my children and I repeatedly made it clear that I did not want this in any way a feature of the campaign."

The Times journalist Rachel Sylvester stood by her article and said she was "baffled" by Leadsom's response.

The Times has since released audio of the interview which corroborates the quotes.

"I am sure Theresa will be really sad she doesn't have children," Leadsom is quoted in the story as saying. "But genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real take in the future of our country, a tangible stake."

May, who is the party frontrunner to replace David Cameron, has not commented on Leadsom's statements.

The winner of the election will become Britain's second female prime minister since Margaret Thatcher held the office from 1979 to 1990.