And so the psychodrama that is the Conservative Party rolls on and on.

Normally, I wouldn't comment on the black pantomime of internal Tory in-fighting but taking centre stage this week is our very own Tatton MP Esther McVey.

Never one to knowingly hide her light under a bushel, Ms McVey appears to have thrown her hat into the ring to become the next Conservative leader and by default Prime Minister.

According to The Independent, former cabinet minister Ms McVey has signalled she will run for the Tory leadership as senior Conservatives start to circle and gather support for their bids to succeed Theresa May.

Ms McVey, the former Work and Pensions Secretary, who presided over part of the botched rollout of universal credit, said she would put herself forward to be the next Prime Minister if she thought she had a fair shot.

Ms May told Tory MPs that she would step down if her Brexit deal passed in the Commons, allowing someone else to lead the next phase of negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

Arch Brexiter Ms McVey reportedly told The Times that a woman should be on the final list of candidates for the role.

She said: “That would show we represent everyone. I believe in meritocracy and I believe in reaching out to all kinds.

“If somebody like me could have a go at being in cabinet and a go at going for the top job, that just shows how open we are as a party.”

Asked if she would stand, the Tatton MP said: “People have come forward and said they’d support me.

“If it’s enough numbers then I would. If it isn’t, then I won’t. I will decide if I think I’ve got a fair shot.”

Ms McVey, a former GMTV presenter, divided opinion while at the Department for Work Pensions (DWP) where she took a tough stance on welfare, especially over the so-called Bedroom Tax and Universal Credit.

So what kind of Prime Minister could we expect if Esther gets the nod? Will we get a touchy-feely 'One Nation' Tory or will she be some other kind of PM?

Well, we know she an ardent Brexiter, speaking at a Leave Means Leave rally alongside Nigel Farage, Iain Duncan Smith, Kate Hoey, Richard Tice (the founder of Leave Means Leave and former co-chair of Leave.EU) and Wetherspoons owner Tim Martin.

This somewhat sets her at odds with the majority of her constituents as during the 2016 EU membership referendum, the constituency voted to remain despite both Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester voting to leave overall. The margin was 55.56 per cent Remain to 44.44 per cent Leave.

So that very much puts her on the 'we can stand on our own two feet' wing of the party.

But what of social policy?

In recent weeks, Ms McVey has taken a hard line on knife crime, saying the Government must allow police to stop and search anyone suspected of carrying a weapon.

She is quoted on the Knutsford Guardian website as saying: “Stop and search needs to be brought back to save lives. It is about enabling the police and supporting them to do the best job they can possibly do.

“Obviously when people are stopped and searched it is intelligence-led, it is done for a reason.

“You see the massive drop since 2010 on the number of stop and searches and now look at the knife crime incidences.

“We have a brilliant police force and we have to enable them not to be frightened to do their job well.”

Ms McVey added: “Knife crime is happening everywhere and we all need to do everything we can to stop it. Reinstating powers to police is one way and it could prevent unnecessary deaths."

But even more controversially, she caused outrage in some sections of the community by appearing to blame people living on their breadline for their own poverty, saying they prioritise mobile phones over food.

In an interview in The Times, reported in the Daily Mirror, she made reference to the proliferation of foodbanks, saying: “When I was growing up my parents put money into food, utility bills and the mortgage.

"Now people feel to be connected they’ve got to have an iPad and a phone that will help them with education and jobs.”

Oh well, if anyone was in any doubt about where Ms McVey is positioning herself in the 'broad church' of today's Conservative Party, I don't think that doubt is lingering any more.