May on the offensive as she claims Corbyn would be '˜alone and naked' in Brexit negotiations

Speaking at a rally in the Midlands, Mrs May sought to reboot her campaign in the wake of last week’s social care debacle by putting Brexit back at the heart of the Conservative agenda.

The event followed Monday night’s televised leaders’ Q&A which saw Mrs May grilled by audience members about her plans to slash winter fuel allowance and failure to provide costings for her new manifesto.

Addressing supporters in Wolverhampton, the Tory leader turned the focus back on her Labour rival, as she warned voters not to “sleepwalk” into a scenario where Mr Corbyn is in the Brexit “negotiating chair”.

“Britain is about to enter into the most important negotiations of my lifetime. They begin just eleven days after polling day, and the European Union is already adopting an aggressive negotiating position,” Mrs May said.

“That’s why, now more than ever, Britain needs a strong government and a strong Prime Minister capable of standing up to Brussels.

“Last night confirmed that only one of us has the determination to deliver the will of the people and make Brexit happen – and only one of us has the plan to make Brexit a success.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s minders can put him in a smart blue suit for an interview with Jeremy Paxman, but with his position on Brexit, he will find himself alone and naked in the negotiating chamber with the European Union.”

The highly personal attack on Mr Corbyn comes amid questions about Mrs May’s own leadership abilities.

The last week has seen Labour closing in on the Tories in the polls, with the latest Survation survey putting Mr Corbyn’s party on 37 percent – just six points behind the Conservatives.

It has been suggested that this surge in Labour support is in part down to the backlash against the Tories’ so-called Dementia Tax and the decision to introduce means-testing for winter fuel allowance.

The criticism of the proposed changes was so fierce that Mrs May was forced into a U-turn over her decision to rule out a cap on social care payments.

This morning saw Labour outline plans to increase access to free childcare, extending the current 30-hour scheme to all two to four-year-olds.

The party also unveiled its Race and Faith manifesto. which Mr Corbyn presented as proof that Labour “is the Party of equality”.

“People continue to be treated unfairly due to their ethnicity or faith. The recent rise in hate crimes, including Anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks, underscores how far we still have to go,” Mr Corbyn said.

“Only Labour can be trusted to unlock the talent of black, Asian and minority ethnic people, who have been held back by the Conservatives.”

However, the Labour leader hit his own stumbling block yesterday when he was unable to answer questions about the cost of the party’s free childcare pledge.

Quizzed by the BBC’s Emma Barnett, Mr Corbyn admitted it would “cost a lot” but could not name an exact figure.

He later apologised for the “omission”, explaining: “I didn’t have the exact figure in front of me.”