The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Home secretary has punishing TV encounter
Leaders round on Amber Rudd over Government’s record in office
Jeremy Corbyn and other senior opposition leaders piled into Home Secretary Amber Rudd over the Government’s record in a heated general election debate.
The Labour leader challenged Ms Rudd over the Tory record on tackling poverty while leaders from other major parties hit out at Theresa May’s decision to miss the live TV showdown.
Ms Rudd shot back with a series of attacks on Mr Corbyn’s plans, claiming he was treating taxpayers’ cash like Monopoly money.
Alongside Labour leader Mr Corbyn and Ms Rudd on the stage in Cambridge were Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, Ukip’s Paul Nuttall, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, Leanne Wood of Plaid Cymru and Scottish National Party deputy leader Angus Robertson.
Ms Rudd told viewers: “The only question to consider is who should be in No 10 to steer Britain to a brighter future? Jeremy Corbyn with his money tree, wish list manifesto and no plan for Brexit or Theresa May with her record of delivery?”
Ms Rudd sought to emphasise the Tory campaign message that Mr Corbyn, backed by some of the smaller parties, could form a “coalition of chaos” aimed at preventing Mrs May from returning to Number 10 after June 8.
“You have heard the squabbling and discord of disagreement here tonight,” she said.
“You have seen the coalition of chaos here in action but in the quiet of the polling booth you have a clear choice.”
Mr Corbyn directly challenged her over the Conservatives’ record on poverty. Setting out his personal pitch to voters, the Labour leader said: “We have to start putting more money into our public services and our resources, we have to have an economy that works for all and we don’t have to have a spiv economy that hands tax relief to the biggest corporations and the wealthiest people while ignoring the desperate cries for social help of so many people in our country.”
The Home Secretary came under pressure over the so-called “dementia tax” shake-up of social care, the plan to axe the pension triple-lock and meanstest the winter fuel payment worth up to £300 for elderly people.
Mr Farron said Mrs May’s refusal to set out what the cap on social care costs would be or who would lose their winter fuel payments meant she was asking voters for a “blank cheque”.