Rachel Sylvester of The Times, who won the Political Journalism prize at this week’s British Journalism Awards feels vindicated after she  was “accused of gutter journalism” by Andrea Leadsom MP.

Sylvester’s winning entry included an interview in which Leadsom suggested she would be a better candidate for Tory leader than Theresa May because she had children. The piece prompted Leadsom to withdraw from the race.

Sylvester said: “I’m particularly thrilled to be vindicated.”