In a fiery election confrontation where the Prime Minister was time and again pilloried for her absence, it is the “progressive alliance” aiming to oust her party from power who will feel they landed the most blows.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd tried to use the heated debate to warn over a “coalition of chaos” between the other parties, but was shouted down by Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, who said the public had more to fear from a coalition between Ukip and the Tories.

Ms Lucas slammed the Tory cabinet minister, asking her how she can sleep at night knowing the level of arms the UK sells to Saudi Arabia amidst a brutal bombing campaign in neighbouring Yemen.

Addressing Ms Rudd directly, she said: “My question is this really, why is Britain the second biggest arms dealer in the world?

“Why are we selling to 22 of the 30 countries on our the Government’s own human rights watch list?

“Why do we make ten times more in arms sales to Saudi Arabia than we gave to Yemen in aid? I genuinely wonder how you sleep at night knowing those figures.”

Ms Rudd responded: “I will make no apology for being a government that wants to defend this country.

“We will make sure that the defence budget is well funded. We make sure we will do that with a strong economy.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, his Liberal Democrat counterpart Tim Farron and SNP depute leader Angus Robertson piled into Ms Rudd over the Tory manifesto policies on social care and the winter fuel payment, demanding answers on who would lose out from the reforms.

The Home Secretary was laughed at by the audience as she called for people to “judge us on our record” on the public finances.

“We have cut the deficit, we have reduced taxes for the lowest paid and we have made sure that we have continued to invest in the NHS, which is getting another £8 billion a year by the end of this parliament,” she said.

Ms Rudd dismissed her rivals’ claims on public spending as “fanciful” and warned their plans would require a “magic money tree” as she came under attack over the squeeze on living standards and cuts to welfare.

Mr Corbyn told her: “Have you been to a food bank? Have you seen people sleeping around our stations? Have you seen the levels of poverty that exist because of your government’s conscious decisions on benefits?”

The Labour leader highlighted his plans to end the public sector pay cap and introduce a £10 an hour living wage by 2020.

Mr Robertson claimed the Tories had “chosen to support those who are wealthiest in society” but said the SNP would put up the top rate of tax from 45p to 50p.

He said it was time to stop “punishing disabled people” and scrap the so-called bedroom tax.

On Brexit, Mr Corbyn said Labour would negotiate tariff-free access to the single market to protect manufacturers.

He added: “Our schools are underfunded, our hospitals are overcrowded, our students are saddled with debt, there’s a growing housing crisis.

“At every single turn, their answer is to further reduce corporation tax and further reduce tax for the very wealthiest in society.”

Mr Robertson challenged Ms Rudd further over pensioner benefits and the social care “dementia tax”, telling her “I think those people deserve to know by how much” they will lose out.

“The Prime Minister didn’t have the guts to come along this evening to tell us,” he said.

The Tories have vowed to means-test the winter fuel payment, but have not set out how many older people would continue to receive the benefit, worth up to £300.

Ms Rudd said the plans would mean winter fuel payments will not be paid to millionaires but would not give specific figures.

“How dare you call a general election & run away from the debate?” – Farron attacks May on leadership #BBCDebate https://t.co/h9Ad0bpZ7a pic.twitter.com/V9O3254TnG — BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 31, 2017

She added: “We will always look after pensioners, ensuring they have dignity and security in retirement.”

Mr Farron said: “What we have is a General Election in eight days’ time, Theresa May assuming a colossal landslide – that’s why she thinks she can ignore you and not bother turning up tonight – and she’s telling you ‘we will take your house off you and we will allow you to know how much we will let you keep after you have given me a colossal majority’.

“If tonight you resolve to vote Conservative on June 8, you are resolving to give Theresa May permission to do what she likes.

“That’s with education cuts, that’s with NHS cuts. Do not give her a blank cheque.”

Earlier today Mrs May defended her decision not to take party, saying: “Jeremy Corbyn seems to be paying far more attention to how many appearances on telly he’s doing.

“I think he ought to be paying a little more attention to thinking about Brexit negotiations. That’s what I’m doing to make sure we get the best possible deal for Britain.”