Election debate: Amber Rudd says 'judge the Tories on our record' and immediately gets booed

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has been booed after asking the public to judge the Conservative party “on our record”.

At the BBC election debate in place of Theresa May – who did not participate – Ms Rudd was asked about the absence of costings in the Conservative Party’s manifesto.

“Well I would say in answer to that question, judge us on our record,” Ms Rudd replied.

But the Home Secretary was met with jeers and boos from the audience in Senate House, Cambridge.

Ms Rudd continued: “We’ve reduced the deficit, we’ve reduced taxes for the lowest paid. And we’ve made sure that we’ve continued to invest in the NHS.”

The Home Secretary was also mocked on social media.

But she maintained that funding for public services required a strong economy, and that meant “difficult choices” needed to be made.

“We have to make sure we control our spending so that we have that strong economy,” Ms Rudd said.

Also taking part in the debate was Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, 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.

Public service funding was a hot topic in the wide ranging debate.

Ms Rudd warned her rival’s spending plans would require a "magic money tree" as she came under attack over the squeeze on living standards and cuts to welfare as the debate heated up.

Mr Corbyn highlighted the poverty he said was caused by Conservative policies and promoted his plans to end the public sector pay cap and introduce a £10 an hour living wage by 2020.

But Ms Rudd responded that the Tories had taken low earners out of income tax and had increased the amount of money paid out in disability benefits.

She said: "We are going to live within our means. Some of the offers you will hear tonight are just fanciful."

Additional reporting by agencies.