Tim Farron risked ridicule as he urged voters to look outside their windows to find Prime Minister Theresa May, as the Liberal Democrat leader made his opening statement in the BBC's leaders' debate on Wednesday (31 May) evening.

"Where do you think Theresa May is tonight?" Farron said. "Take a look out your window. She might be out there sizing up your house to pay for your social care."

But whatever the reaction to Farron's surprise comments, he was able to concentrate people's minds on the so called "dementia tax", the Conservative policy which would see elderly voters in England with more than £100,000 in assets have to pay for their social care costs.

May, who was represented by Tory Home Secretary Amber Rudd in the seven-way debate, has said that an "absolute limit" will be put to consultation if the Conservatives are voted into power on 8 June.

"[May] wants five years as prime minister and she thinks you'll give it to her, no questions asked - literally," Farron added.

"Even if she brings in a 'dementia tax', sacks your kids' teachers and nicks their lunches while she's at it.

"We can all agree that is a rubbish offer. Look, I know we don't all agree on Brexit, but she's off to negotiate a deal for you, for me - for all of us.

"Imagine if it's a bad deal - I mean 'dementia tax' bad."

The comments come just over a week before the election, with the Conservatives on 43%, Labour on 33% and the Liberal Democrats on 11%, according to the latest poll from Kantar of more than 1,000 people between 25 and 30 May.

IBT General Election poll of polls