AS she sat down to digest the Sunday newspapers yesterday, Theresa May will have had a more difficult morning than she might have been anticipating a week or so ago.

Criticised for the Tories’ social care plans, which have been branded a ‘dementia tax’ by the party’s critics, challenged over her decision to scrap free school meals for all primary school pupils and with the latest opinion polls suggesting Labour have halved the Conservatives’ lead in a week, the Prime Minister suddenly finds herself facing an electoral battle.

Good. While Mrs May might argue that a huge majority will strengthen her hand when it comes to negotiating Britain’s Brexit strategy, it benefits no one if the leading party is re-elected without its policies being subjected to meaningful scrutiny.

Having published their manifesto last week, the Tories now find themselves having to defend cast-iron pledges that will define their next spell in government if, as expected, they secure a majority next month.

That can only be a good thing, and while personality will clearly play a major role in determining how the nation votes on June 8, it is refreshing to see policy issues being discussed and debated with increased intensity.

On a number of key issues, there are now fundamental differences between the positions being adopted by the major parties, and just as the leaders of Labour and the Liberal Democrats have been challenged to justify their costings and priorities, so it is now the turn of the Conservatives to find themselves in the spotlight.

In the next few days, Mrs May will have the opportunity to hit back at the critics who have been sniping at the Tories this weekend. We will be interested to hear what she has to say.