Corbyn accuses Thatcher of making a 'great deal' of Argentina's Falklands invasion as he is pummelled over his support for the IRA and grilled by voters worried he will weaken Britain

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Jeremy Corbyn tonight accused Margaret Thatcher of making a 'great deal' of Argentina's invasion of the Falklands as furious voters confronted him over security.

Labour's ailing leader risked provoking outrage with his remarks about the Falklands as he accused Mrs Thatcher of 'exploiting' the 1982 war in defence of British citizens.

He did not deny claiming the war was a 'Tory plot' but insisted his motivation had been in stopping the fighting.

In the first major TV bout of the election campaign, the Labour leader was pulled up by a panel of voters and inquisitor Jeremy Paxman over his support for the IRA and his refusal to use force on terrorists. 

In her own session, Theresa May was left squirming as she was heckled over funding for schools and she fended off hard questions about her embarrassing u-turn on social care. 

Jeremy Corbyn  faced questions over his claims the Falklands War was a 'Tory plot' as he was grilled over his views on national security in the first major bout of the election campaign 

Mr Corbyn was visibly uncomfortable as he was called out as he tried to argue that he was 'contributing' to the Northern Ireland peace process

In her own session, Theresa May was left squirming as she was heckled over funding for schools

The Labour leader was challenged on how he could be 'trusted' after having such close ties to Republican chiefs during the 1980s.

Mr Corbyn was visibly uncomfortable as he was called out as he tried to argue that he was 'contributing' to the Northern Ireland peace process.

He was also berated over his refusal to commit to the Trident nuclear deterrent, despite his party nominally being in favour of renewing it. 

And in one particularly painful exchange with Jeremy Paxman on the Sky News and Channel 4 election special he was unable to say whether his shadow chancellor John McDonnell still supported disbanding MI5.  

Mr Corbyn was confronted on his claim that Britons were being sent to die in the Falklands War 'in pursuit of a Tory plot'.

He insisted: 'What I wanted was a stopping of that war.

Asked whether he thinks the UK should not have protected the Falklands, the Labour leader said: 'I don't think they should have gone in there but I also think there should have been an opportunity to stop that war happening.'

Pressed again on whether it was a 'Tory plot', Mr Corbyn said: 'No. I think it was important that there should be a negotiated solution through the United Nations….

'Margaret Thatcher made a great deal of the whole issue… I felt she was exploiting the situation.' 

Mr Corbyn was also pushed to explain why he had referred to Hamas as 'friends' during a meeting at parliament.

'It was inclusive language at a meeting where I was promoting the idea of a two-state solution, promoting the idea of a dialogue… to bring about a peace process, that is important,' he replied.

An audience member called Callum pressed Mr Corbyn on how he could be 'trusted' after his well-documented ties with IRA and Sinn Fein in the 1980s - including inviting Gerry Adams to tea at the House of Commons weeks after the Brighton bombing.

Mr Corbyn was also asked to spell out how he would tackle ISIS if he would not deploy the military to fight the terrorists 

Jeremy Paxman grilled Mr Corbyn on whether his shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, still believed that MI5 should be disbanded but the Labour leader dodged answering

Ahead of the show going live, Mr Corbyn found himself adjusting Paxman's tie just minutes before undergoing his inquisition 

Mr Corbyn initially dodged the question, saying: 'I wanted dialogue in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.' 

But Callum pointed to a specific commemoration for Republican dead that had been attended by Mr Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn replied: 'The commemoration I think you are referring to was a period of silence for everyone who died in Northern Ireland.'

Audience member: 'It was actually to commemorate the people who were killed at Loughgall.

'The reason they were killed is there were on the way to kill British policemen.'

Mr Corbyn said: 'The contribution I made was to call for a peace and dialogue process.

'It is only by dialogue and process that we brought about the peace in Northern Ireland.

'I think that is a good thing. Going forward, in the Brexit negotiation we need to make sure we don't return to any kind of hard border in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.' 

Mr Corbyn - who is still vice president of CND - flatly refused to say whether there were any circumstances under which he would deploy nuclear weapons, despite Labour technically being in favour of renewing the Trident deterrent.

Pressed on what he would write in his 'letters of last resort' to British nuclear submarine commanders, Mr Corbyn said merely: 'I will write the appropriate letters to the commanders.'

Mr Corbyn was questioned by audience member Callum over his support for the IRA during the Troubles during tonight's debate 

Mr Corbyn faced further questions from the audience about whether immigration would fall under a Labour Government 

The Labour leader again refused to say that immigration needs to go down, saying that the Tories had set a number and failed to hit it.  

'In the future there has to be managed migration and it has to be based on the needs of this country and economy,' he said.

'I'm not going to stand here and put a figure – our PM has done that now for the third election running and is nowhere near…

'We should also remember that if people hadn't migrated to this country, we would have a much worse health service, education system and transport system than we have.'

The show, jointly staged by Sky News and Channel 4, started on an awkward note for Mr Corbyn as he was asked whether he would 'look the other way' by failing to tackle ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

He insisted he would try to get peace talks going. 

During his bruising encounter with Paxman, Mr Corbyn was asked how voters could trust his commitment to the security services when Mr McDonnell called for the 'abolition of MI5, the abolition of special branch and the disarming of the police?'.

Mr Corbyn replied: 'We have made it very clear we will provide more police, this Government has taken 20,000 police off our streets.'

Paxman interjected to point out that the Labour leader was not denying Mr McDonnell's views.

Mr Corbyn continued: 'We will put 10,000 more police officers on our streets.'

CORBYN FAILS TO SAY JOHN MCDONNELL SUPPORTS MI5 

Jeremy Corbyn failed to make clear his shadow chancellor supports MI5 tonight.

The Labour leader insisted John McDonnell would as chancellor hand funding to the security services.

But he was unable to tell Jeremy Paxman whether Mr McDonnell still believed in scrapping MI5 altogether. 

Paxman said: 'What about money for the security services. How can we take that seriously when your shadow chancellor called for the abolition of MI5, the abolition of special branch and the disarming of the police?'

The Labour leader insisted John McDonnell would as chancellor hand funding to the security services

Corbyn replied: 'We have made it very clear we will provide more police, this Government has taken 20,000 police off our streets.'

Paxman interjected to insist he was not denying John McDonnell's views.

Mr Corbyn continued: 'We will put 10,000 more police officers on our streets.'

Paxman again questioned: 'How can we believe that when the shadow chancellor believes in disbanding MI5 and the special branch?'

Mr Corbyn insisted: 'The Shadow Chancellor is the one who signed off that pledge in the manifesto.

'John McDonnell supports the need for more police officers.

'John McDonnell also accepts and supports the need for the accountability to Parliament of our security services, which is important, but he also accepts as I do the need to have security services that protect us.

'Manchester is a good example of that.'

Paxman said: 'So he signs letters and all the rest of it but when it comes to the manifesto he is perfectly happy to sign off on police officers and doubtless more money for MI5.'

Mr Corbyn replied: 'What you are going to see with John McDonnell is a shadow chancellor who looks at the needs of the country, looks at the needs of the people of this country and invests in our future – not hands money to big corporations and tax relief to the most well off in society.' 

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Theresa May arrives at the Sky News studios in Osterley, West London tonight

The Prime Minister will go second on the programme tonight, after Jeremy Corbyn faces the studio audience and is interviewed by Jeremy Paxman

Paxman again questioned: 'How can we believe that when the shadow chancellor believes in disbanding MI5 and the special branch?'

Mr Corbyn insisted: 'John McDonnell supports the need for more police officers.

'John McDonnell also accepts and supports the need for the accountability to Parliament of our security services, which is important, but he also accepts as I do the need to have security services that protect us.

'Manchester is a good example of that.'

Mr Corbyn also refused to be drawn on whether he would order a drone strike against a terrorist plotting overseas to attack the UK.

'I would want know the circumstances. You can't answer a hypothetical question without the evidence. It is a completely hypothetical question,' he said.

Mr Corbyn defended his comment that the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special forces had been a 'tragedy'.

'I think he should have been arrested and he should have been put on trial. And he could have been,' he said.

Jeremy Corbyn arrived at the Sky Studios around 15 minutes after the PM for the TV showdown tonight

The Labour leader was greeted by Sky News head John Ryley and Channel 4ís chief creative officer Jay Hunt as he arrived in Osterley 

Mrs May has been trying to get back on the front foot after a series of polls showed the race narrowing in the wake of the Tory manifesto - which included a controversial shake-up of the social care system.

Boris Johnson and Labour frontbencher Andrew Gwynne set the tone for the programme earlier with a bruising clash before it started.

The two politicians jabbed their fingers at each other as the Foreign Secretary repeatedly challenged Mr Gwynne to explain Mr Corbyn's apparent support for the IRA during the 1980s.

Without addressing his leader's track record, Mr Gwynne insisted: 'Things have moved on.'

Mr Johnson also demanded to know how Labour would fund its huge plans for renationalising energy, water, rail, and the Royal Mail.

Mr Gwynne shot back by asking what level the Tories' mooted cap on social care would be set at.

Earlier, the Prime Minister returned to the campaign trail earlier after the Manchester bombing earlier today with a stark message about the inability of the Labour leader to get a good Brexit deal.

She said the left-winger would have to be 'propped up' as PM by Nicola Sturgeon and the Lib Dems, who would 'extract compromises' including a second referendum on leaving the EU.

Mrs May also pointed out that the Labour leader had refused to say that immigration should come down - despite the level of inflows being one of the key factors in the historic vote last June. 

Boris Johnson and Andrew Gwynne set the tone before the Sky News and Channel 4 programme with brutal clashes

The Foreign Secretary and the Labour frontbencher argued about Jeremy Corbyn's support for the IRA  

'If you don't want Jeremy Corbyn negotiating Brexit then you have to vote for local Conservative candidates up and down the country,' the Tory leader told a rally in Twickenham, South West London.

Recent opinion polls have shown the Tory lead over Labour slipping to as little as five points, with party chiefs privately voicing concern they may even be overtaken. 

Mrs May said a government headed by Mr Corbyn would not be able to survive without support from other parties.

'That government will be weak abroad because it will be compromised at home,' she said.

Pointing out that negotiations with the EU are schedule to get under way on June 19, Mrs May questioned whether Mr Corbyn would even have been able to appoint ministers by then.  

May squirms as she is heckled over funding for schools but bids to reassure pensioners with care costs cap after 'Dementia Tax' row

Theresa May squirmed as she was heckled by voters over funding for schools and the NHS tonight.

But she moved to reassure pensioners in the wake of the 'Dementia Tax' row by reiterating that there will be an 'absolute cap' on how they can pay for social care.

She also fended off difficult questions about the reduction in the number of police officers.

The rough ride as she faced the audience in a Sky News and Channel 4 election special, with just over a week to go until the nation goes to the polls.

Earlier, Jeremy Corbyn was pummelled by voters over his support for the IRA during its reign of terror, refused to say whether his shadow chancellor still wants to abolish MI5, and declined to endorse his party's support for the nuclear deterrent.

He also again declined to say whether he thought immigration should come down after Brexit. 

Mrs May has been trying to get back on the front foot after a series of polls showed the race narrowing in the wake of the Tory manifesto - which included the controversial shake-up of the social care system.

The Prime Minister tonight defended her proposals that would see some pensioners pay more for her care - but reiterated that there will also be an 'absolute cap' on costs

Mrs May also fended off questions about the reduction in the number of police officers, and was given a rough ride over schools funding

Mrs May endured brickbats from the studio audience as she was asked to justify cuts to real-terms per pupil funding.

'I think it's important that we see a fair way of funding our schools. What we're committing to is ensuring that, as we introduce that, schools do not see a cash fall in their funding,' she said.

Pressed on the fact that there were real-terms cuts in the pipeline, she said: 'Nobody can guarantee a real-terms per pupil increase. In the Labour Party's manifesto, we know the figures do not add up.'

But the remark drew jeers from some members of the public. She was heckled agains when she was braced on what happened to the Vote Leave pledge of £350million a week extra for the NHS.

'We will be able to look, as funding comes back, how we use that funding,' Mrs May said.

'We can only get that deal if we've got a plan to go in there and really stand up for Britain.'

In an interview after the Town Hall session, Mrs May was challenged by Jeremy Paxman that her volte face on social care - promising a cap on costs after initially ruling one out - meant Brussels negotiators would think she is a 'blowhard who collapses at the first sound of gunfire'.

'I think you'll find that what the people in Brussels look at is the record that I have of negotiating with them… on justice and home affairs, which people said we were never going to get and I got those negotiations,' she replied frostily. 

Asked about her reputation as a 'bloody difficult woman', Mrs May said: 'Sometimes you have to be … We stand at a very important moment in our history. 

'We have an opportunity now to really change this country for the better for the future. 

MARCH AGAINST FOX HUNTING AFTER MAY PLEDGES VOTE

Hundreds of demonstrators marched through London to oppose fox hunting today.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said she supports the outlawed activity and will renew a pledge to hold a free vote on overturning the ban. 

Hundreds of anti-fox hunting protesters made their way from Cavendish Square to Whitehall, with many wearing fox masks and holding signs saying 'Theresa May for fox sake keep the ban'.

Hundreds of protesters marched down Whitehall today to make their opposition clear to repealing the ban on fox hunting

Theresa May has renewed the previous Tory pledge to hold a free vote in the Commons on whether the ban should be lifted

Professor Andrew Knight, who is standing for the Animal Welfare Party against Mrs May in the constituency of Maidenhead, said it is 'profoundly disturbing' that the Prime Minister thinks fox hunting is acceptable.

'We need to have leaders of our country that have basic compassion for animals and other vulnerable members of our society,' he said.

'Theresa May clearly, I think, is unfit to lead this country, if she clearly and demonstrably lacks these basic qualities.' 

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