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Theresa May faced criticism for allowing Home Secretary Amber Rudd to stand in for her at the BBC Election Debate - despite her dad's death just 48 hours earlier.

Retired stockbroker Tony, 93, passed away on Monday, but Ms Rudd insisted she would press ahead with her planned appearance after the prime minister refused to attend.

The Home Secretary, 53, also lost her ex-husband and the father of her two children, journalist AA Gill, in December.

Despite her loss, she took to the stage and faced down Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, UKIP leader Paul Nuttall, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and Green co-leader Caroline Lucas.

Ms Rudd decided to continue campaigning despite the death of her retired stockbroker dad, a friend told The Sun, adding: "It just shows how tough she is."

(Image: AFP) (Image: WPA Pool)

But shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said that her appearance in place of May was the wrong decision.

He said "My deep condolences to Amber. At any time, to have your father die is a real tragedy for anyone.

"I know the pressures that are on politicians during an election campaign and the fact that she has been prepared to come and do that shows that she is an estimable woman.

"But what does it say about Theresa May that knowing that Amber had been through that, she forced her to do it rather than to come in there and stand up for herself?"

Asked if he was saying Mrs May should have told Ms Rudd to step aside, he replied: "She should have turned round to Amber and she should have said 'Amber, look, I'm grateful to you that you were prepared to do it and that you are prepared to do it, but given all that you've been through this week, you shouldn't have to'."

Ms Rudd was married to AA Gill for five years in the 1990s and the couple had two children. Gill died in December weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

(Image: Getty)

Read full details from the BBC's election leadership debate here

May's absence dominated much of the debate as she was blasted by leaders from every other major party.

Jeremy Corbyn had planned to boycott the 90-minute, prime time BBC showdown in protest at the Prime Minister’s snub.

But he changed his mind and declared: "I am here to debate the future of our country. The question in this election is what we want – a country for the many or the few?”

Amber Rudd was left to parrot the Tory line after Mrs May’s no-show and the other six leaders wasted no time in tearing into the PM for not turning up.

Staring down the camera, Mr Farron asked: "Where do you think Theresa May is tonight?

"Take a look out of your window – she might be out there sizing up your house to pay for social care."

Mocking the PM’s absence, Ms Wood said: "She won’t turn up to these debates because her campaign of soundbites is falling apart."

And Ms Lucas said: "I think the first rule of leadership is to show up.”

Tory Ms Rudd said she was "proud to be here representing the Conservative Party".

But she struggled to defend police cuts, plunging living standards, cuts to disability payments and soaring demand for foodbanks.

In a stunning vindication of his decision to turn up, Mr Corbyn taunted her: "Have you been to a foodbank? Have you seen people sleeping [rough] around our stations?

"Have you seen the levels of poverty that exist because of your Government’s conscious decisions on the deficit?”

The Tories offered "nothing remotely strong or stable" and planned "five more years of cuts to our vital public services to fund tax handouts for the wealthy few, he added.

Proudly defending promises to hike corporation tax, Mr Corbyn said funds would help ease cash crises gripping social care, schools and the NHS.

And audience members cheered pledges to extend free school lunches to all primary school children and axe university tuition fees.

He continued: “I am fed up with the idea that so many children growing up in poorer households and poorer communities don’t get the same chance as others to go to university and get on in life. They lose and we all lose."

(Image: WPA Pool) (Image: WPA Pool)

Ms Rudd and UKIP’s Mr Nuttall were accused of teaming up as the right-wing pair both hit out at Labour’s tax plans.

Claiming the party had “no plan for Brexit”, Ms Rudd branded Mr Corbyn’s plans for government "fantasy economics".

But the Tory, who backed Remain in last year’s EU referendum, squirmed when Green chief Ms Lucas accused her of "hitching your wagon to UKIP".

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Highlighting Ms Rudd’s opposition to Brexit 11 months ago, Ms Lucas said: "Were you wrong then or are you wrong now?"

The Home Secretary provoked laughter from the audience when, grilled about the Tories' handling of the economy, she pleaded: "Judge us on our record."

Campaigning at a factory in Bath earlier yesterday, Mrs May suggested the reason she was dodging the debate was because she was too busy with Brexit plans.

(Image: WPA Pool) (Image: WPA Pool)

The PM, who has given a series of recent TV interviews, accused Mr Corbyn of "paying far more attention to how many appearances on telly he’s doing" than thinking about Brexit talks.

She also refused to say if she would quit if the Tories lose seats on June 8.

Meanwhile, Mrs May will try to shift the focus back to Brexit today in a speech in the North East, a week from polling day.

Warning voters "this is the time to choose", she will urge the country to "come together behind this great national mission".

EU divorce talks are due to start on June 19.

But a European Commission source told PoliticsHome a new government could delay the start "if the UK was to turn around and say 'We need a bit of leeway.'"