A Millennium Library employee accused the Conservatives of taking Britain back to the 1870s during the filming of Question Time.

The audience member made the comment as political leaders discussed aspects of the Conservative Party manifesto at Open in Norwich.

Panellists included Conservative Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel, co-leader of the Green Party Jonathan Bartley, and Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Education Angela Rayner.

They debated everything from the Tory's proposed changes to social care funding, to whether Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was credible enough to lead Brexit negotiations.

But it was a comment from a Norwich library employee which attracted the largest applause from the audience.

She said: 'I work at the Millennium Library and we see what the cuts have done every day to the people that are coming to the library.

'We have been cut to the bone and now Theresa May is attacking the pensions.

'The pensions actually started in 1909, people talk about Corbyn's Britain going back to 1970s, well what about the Tories going back to the 1870s? It's becoming Victorian what is happening in this country.'

The first question put to panellists asked if it was fair to have to sell your family home to pay for your care costs.

It followed the Conservatives proposed changes to social care.

The party is proposing to raise the cost of care threshold from £23,000 to £100,000. People with assets of more than £100,000 would have to pay for their care, but could defer payment until after their death.

Responding, Priti Patel said: 'We need to take some long term decisions now about how we look to the future and adress the ageing population. We will put in place this safeguard of £100,00 so people can still keep their house.'

But, Angela Rayner described it as 'vicious' and 'nasty'.

She said: 'You are cutting taxes to the rich, you are cutting corporation tax to 17pc and you've cut capital gains tax. We can pay for our elder relatives, it doesn't need to be this way.'