In his opening statement, Angus Robertson, SNP leader at Westminster, said a vote for his party was "a vote against Tory cuts that will harm our public services and push many more hard-working families into poverty".

"SNP MPs will work with others to promote fairness across the UK," he said.

Reality Check

The leaders are taking a first question on pay and living standards.

Average earnings adjusted for inflation are still not back to the level they were before the financial crisis.

You can read more about it here.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron asks: "Where do you think Theresa May is?" He jokes that she "might be outside your house sizing it up to pay for your social care".

He repeats pledges to rescue the NHS, hold a referendum on a Brexit deal and "stop her [May] taking you for granted".

Paul Nuttall says his party will always put the needs of the British people first.

"UKIP will always stand up for those who have been let down," he said.

"Money isn't everything, but politicians must show leadership, ensure that our way of life, our values and our democracy is secure.

"UKIP believes in Britain."

In her opening statement, Home Secretary Amber Rudd puts the focus on leadership.

"The only question to consider is who should be in Number 10 to steer Britain to a brighter future", she said.

She dismissed Jeremy Corbyn as having a "money-tree, wish-list manifesto".

These opening statements are basically restating the parties' main campaign messages. Labour's Jeremy Corbyn is no exception as he tells the audience "the question is whether we want a country for the many or the few".

He says the Conservatives would preside over "cuts to public services for handouts to the wealthy few".

Caroline Lucas had said the public can "lay the foundation for a new kind of politics" if they vote for the Green Party.

She said their policies would focus on clean energy, spending money on hospitals and schools, and welcoming child refugees.

"We have shown time and again you don't need the keys to number 10 to open the door to change," she added.

"On 8 June, let's unlock the door together."

First up, there's an opening statement from Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood, who says Theresa May is "taking you for-granted - her campaign of soundbites is falling apart".

Her party stands for "fairness, equality and everyone who calls Wales home".

She accuses Labour of "airbrushing their leader out".

The party leaders and home secretary are all on stage and will be invited to make opening statements before taking questions. Plaid's leader Leanne Wood goes first.

BBC News Channel

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley defends Theresa May's decision not to attend, saying she has been "getting up and down the country meeting voters".

Mrs May has attended more events than Jeremy Corbyn, she claims.

She predicts viewers will "see for first time what a coalition of chaos actually looks like" and it shows they would be "squabbling with Jeremy Corbyn at the helm" in Brexit negotiations.

BBC political correspondent Vicki Young says Theresa May's lead in the polls when she decided not to debate suggested she had "everything to lose".

But Jeremy Corbyn's decision to enter the fray at the last moment changed the situation.

"The difference with last time round [when] David Cameron decided to not take part in one of these debates... was there was no Conservative representative, so it was a slightly strange debate because everyone ganged up on Ed Miliband.

"That won't happen this time, because Amber Rudd, Home Secretary, trying to defend the government's record, so that will make it slightly easier for Jeremy Corbyn."