A mother's heated exchange with a Tory minister took centre stage during Thursday night's BBC 'Question Time', as she castigated David Cameron's government for "writing off" those with disabilities.
The audience member lambasted Matthew Hancock after prolonged austerity has seen essential services relied upon by her disabled son withdrawn or threatened.
These contrasted with the somewhat more positive picture portrayed by the Chancellor during his Autumn Statement on Wednesday, she argued.
“I think it’s got very, very little to making the deficit smaller and is far more to me about dismantling the welfare state," the woman said.
The woman spoke during 'Question Time' from Wythenshawe, Manchester
“I have a son with a learning disability, he has no social worker, no care plan," she continued.
"His transport to and from school is threatened, his college place has just been withdrawn.
“I think the reality on the ground for people like us living everyday lives is that austerity is devastating.
“Certainly for my son and young people like him.
“We feel as though he’s been written off by Cameron’s government."
Hancock, a Cabinet Office minister, attempted to defend the reduction in public services but was quickly drowned out by furious audience members.
As he struggled to respond amid loud heckles from the audience, Hancock said: "If we can't have a country that lives within its means," before being interrupted.
Battling against audience reaction, he continued: "It is not 'flannel' to want to reduce the deficit. Hold on, if we don't have a country that can live within its means then we can't fund those sorts of public services that people like you rely on."
At which point the woman interjected: "What? So we pay our taxes but our children can't go to school?"
People on Twitter were quick to condemn his response.
However, people were quick to support the woman's clear and purposeful interjection online.
Watch a clip of the woman's passionate speech above.