BREAKING: Tatton Tories choose Esther McVey to stand in General Election

The former MP, who served the Wirral West constituency between 2010 and 2015, will bid to replace George Osborne in six weeks’ time.

She beat competition from Cllr Alex Williams, deputy leader of Trafford Council, and Knutsfordian Katherine Fletcher, Northern Powerhouse champion, to be selected as Tatton's Conservative candidate. 

Following the announcement, Conservative members tweeted Ms McVey to congratulate her on the appointment.

Huge Congratulations to @EstherMcVey1 She'll be a wonderful MP for #Tatton

— Katherine Fletcher (@Fletch_1976) April 26, 2017

Huge congratulations to @EstherMcVey1, new Tatton PPC. A real star. I couldn't have a better successor. A one-woman Northern Powerhouse.

— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) April 26, 2017

Great news! it would be fantastic to see @EstherMcVey1 back in parliament. https://t.co/SoMhlvsA9q

— Caroline Dinenage (@cj_dinenage) April 26, 2017

Congratulations to @EstherMcVey1 for being nominated to fight Tatton. Very very pleased...

— Lord Ashcroft (@LordAshcroft) April 26, 2017

However, the appointment has been met with some criticism from her political opponents.

Yet another parachuted in Tory with no connection to constituency lands in #Tatton, @EstherMcVey1 was a Leave campaigner to boot!

— Gareth Wilson (@GarethLibDem) April 26, 2017

Please, save us from this women being our MP. https://t.co/cEc2mA3L0r

— Sam Rushworth (@SamJRushworth) April 26, 2017

Ms McVey enjoyed a career in television in the 1990s and 2000s, and has previously set up her own business providing training to small and medium enterprises, called Making It.

During her time in Westminster, the Liverpudlian served as a minister of state for employment from October 2013, before losing her seat in May 2015.

She missed out in Wirral West in 2005’s General Election, before claiming victory in 2010 with 2,436 vote margin.