The BBC’s seven-way debate became the ground battle for Angela Rayner and Penny Mordaunt who exchanged fiery words over taxes, the NHS and defence.
The leading party figures clashed after the Tory politician repeated a claim that Labour would make working families pay £2,000 more in tax - a figure which has been criticised by Treasury experts.
But debate moderator Mishal Husain interrupted Mordaunt to remind her the figure had been questioned and Green Party leader Carla Denyer described her opponents “terribly dignified”.
Migration was also a recurring topic, with leading political figures like Nigel Farage, who is well known for his controversial views, accusing both Conservative and Labour governments of not controlling migration as he pledged to “stop migrants from bringing their family members to the UK”.
At the start of the debate Ms Mordaunt admitted prime minister Rishi Sunak was “very wrong” to have deserted D-Day commemorations early.
Sunak faced intense criticism for leaving the D-Day commemorations in Normandy early on Thursday to continue his election campaign trail.
