Opportunism. It is very clear that the Prime Ministers announcement todayis the Prime Ministers announcement today is all about the narrow interest of her party, not the country overall. Nicola sturgeon cant have a referendum on independence before 2020 because it would create uncertainty, she said. A general election creates more uncertainty. We will fight it hard. And at 11 30pm we will look at how the front pages cover the call for a Snap Election Withjoe Watts the front pages cover the call for a Snap Election with joe watts from the independent and laura parents, conservative commentator. Good evening to you and welcome to bbc news. The pm took everyone by surprise to date, announcing her intention to call an election on the eighth of june, three years earlier than the date set down by law. Theresa may says it is about certainty and stability before the brexit process. Her opponents accuse her of breaking her word and pursuing a cynical plan for Party Political advantage. Laura kuenssberg reports. Did she surprise them . Did she surprise you . Did theresa may even surprise herself . Her biggest decision as Prime Minister, taken only days ago. I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet where we agreed that the government should call a general election to be held on the eighth ofjune. That was not her plan. But she says to get brexit done, she needs more support around here. In recent weeks, labour have threatened to vote against the final agreement we reach with the european union. The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business of government to a standstill. The Scottish National party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals britains membership of the european union. And unelected members of the House Of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way. Our opponents believe because the governments majority is so small that our resolve will weaken and they can force us to change course. They are wrong. So tomorrow there will be a vote in parliament that will all but certainly get the process going. And if you are in any doubt about how the tories will frame your choice. I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. Since i became Prime Minister, i have said that there should be no election until 2020. But now i have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions i must take. Every vote for the conservatives will make me stronger when i negotiate for britain with the Prime Ministers, chancellors and president s of the european union. Every vote for the conservatives will mean we can stick to our plan for a stronger britain and take the right long term decisions for a more secure future. Most of her ministers had been in the dark. Only in the last few days did she decide. Theresa may only moved in here 279 days ago. And she said consistently that there should be no early general election. Quite simply, she has changed her mind. What happens next for theresa may will be up to you. When did you know there was going to be an election . Great opportunities ahead. When did you know, Secretary Of State . A bit reluctant to tell us when you knew about the election . When did she change her mind, chief whip . When did the Prime Minister change her mind . Good morning, its a lovely day. When did you know there was going to be an election . When i heard it this morning. You could forgive their surprise perhaps because theyd heard the pm say this. I dont think there is a need for an election. I think the next election will be in 2020. Labour will support tomorrows vote to push the button, even though the weakness ofJeremy Corbyn is one of the reasons why an early election is on. Yet his supporters hope that his ideas will cut through. I welcome the opportunity for us to put the case to the people of britain, to stand up against this government and its failed economic agenda, which has left our nhs with problems, which has left our schools underfunded, and so many people uncertain. We want to put our case out there for the people of britain, of a society that cares for all, an economy that works for all and a brexit that works for all. More than ever, perhaps, this election will notjust be about what happens here but the whole countrys constitution. The tories wont promise another vote on independence in scotland, but Nicola Sturgeon will. This is the biggest u turn in recent political history. But it is very clear that the Prime Ministers announcement today is one all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests of the country overall. On the road already, as planned, for the local elections, the Lib Dems See Opportunity to come back from rock bottom. It is an opportunity for the people of this country to change the direction of this country, to decide that they do not want a hard brexit, they want to keep britain in the single market, and indeed it is an opportunity for us to have a decent, strong opposition in this country that we desperately need. And though the tories start this election having gone back on their promise not to hold one. Many people in the country will think, theresa may told me she would not do this and now she is doing this can i trust her . Why should i . When the facts change, you change your mind. As she said herself, she was reluctant to make this decision, but she was brought to this decision by the fact that presenting herself with a mandate that allows us to get the best outcome for brexit and the best outcome for britain in her policy, that is the thing that is in the national interest. It looks like this election is entirely about brexit, that theresa may is so worried about how hard it will be, she thinks she needs a thumping majority of Tory Backbenchers to get it through. Of course we want a strong mandate, but the aim here is to do two things, one is to provide a strong mandate for brexit, the other one is to provide a strong mandate for the future. The country will be asked for its view again, less than a year since the referendum, when everything around here changed. I think shes been changing her mind over a little while. I think her instinct was not to do it for strong reasons, which she didnt want the public to think was political. I think the whole sense and the nature of parliament has changed quite a lot in the last month or two. This is the ultimate test for us because that is what we are in politics for. Were in politics to win elections, to win power, to put our values into practice, and weve got to seize any opportunity that we get to do that. How many more times are you going to change your mind, Prime Minister . Win well, and theresa may escapes some political problems, but the hurly burly of any campaign claims casualties, too. Just ask anyone who has ever lived at this address. Laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. Jeremy corbyn said he welcomed the decision to call an early election, saying labour would stand up for the people of britain, not least on the state of the National Health service. The liberal democrat tim farron promised to fight against what he called a hard brexit, while the First Minister of scotland Nicola Sturgeon said todays announcement was a huge political miscalculation by theresa may. More on the impact in scotland in a moment but first our deputy Political Editorjohn Pienaar looks at reaction in westminster to the Prime Ministers plans. Westminsters shutting up shop soon, again. And theyre off, again. The soundbites, the slogans, all desperate for your attention. Why now . The tories start strongly. Labour and its leader trail badly. SoJeremy Corbyn and his supporters are working hard from the start to beat the odds, to point out the issues and policies they hope may somehow prove the polls and pundits wrong. I want to use the Period Untiljune 8th to set out a positive vision of the kind of society that we can live in. Post brexit vision of britain where this country works for them, for everybody and for the equality of everybody in work. The foundation for all to build a fairer economy by investment in good jobs for the future and investment in Good Quality Services for the future. The British Public when it comes to general elections vote on leadership and as of now Jeremy Corbyn is a mile behind. I think the more people focus on our programme and our leadership, the more tawdry what theresa mays offering will seem. The British Public dont want a Prime Minister hand in glove with donald trump. The British Public did not vote to be poorer in the referendum on the eu. The more people focus on the issues and the people, the better it will be for us. What about Jeremy Corbyn . Is he going to be any kind of asset to you in your campaign, big on your Election Material . No, i will be the candidate in chester, and it will be my picture on the leaflet and my name on the ballot paper. I will be talking about my record and the things i have achieved. What about Jeremy Corbyn, is he an asset or a liability, in a word . Well, he attracts some peoples favourable attention. Good times for the lib dems seem a long time ago. In the last election, big hitters, cabinet ministers, tumbled one after another. Now theyre the most pro europe party in politics, and survivors of that famous rout believe they can turn scepticism about brexit into support for them. Theyve got a lot of recovering to do. If you look at the british political spectrum, there is quite a large centre ground, which certainly Jeremy Corbyn, as a backbencher, has never occupied. And which theresa may, by pursuing hard brexit, doesnt also seem to want to occupy either that is there for the taking for the lib dems. You are hoping this might be the beginning of the beginning of a comeback . Lets put it no more highly than that, but i would be very happy with the beginning of the beginning of a comeback. The tories sound confident, but some in former lib dem strongholds in london and the south west expect a tough fight and just hope that the lib dems arent ready for the road back to westminster. I dont think the Liberal Democrats have restored their infrastructure from their dramatic losses in 2015. But you know you will have a fight on your hands . Of course were going to have a fight on our hands and were always going to fight to win, as well. Nigel farage. Since nigel farage left to seek his own political fortunes, backing donald trump, not leading ukip after the eu referendum, the party has lost ground. Lost the odd election they might have won. The referendum has gone, and so has nigel farage. You are a Party Without a purpose. Come on, john. I dont buy that at all. Theresa may may well have triggered article 50, the negotiations have not started yet. If people want the brexit that they voted for on june 23rd, theyll only get that, i believe, if you get ukip mps elected to the house of commons, and that is why well go into this brexit election quite buoyant. And the greens, too, are sticking to their mission. You look optimistic, but youre going to need to be. We are optimistic, because we are the party opposing extreme brexit, opposing the decimation of Public Services and providing those important environmental protections. All the parties must now scramble to get candidates, raise cash, to get out a manifesto that will give the country a choice for five years. One burden theresa may is avoiding is tv debates. Her team has made it clear that she wont be taking part. Labours agreed that all mps will be entitled to stand as candidates, though team corbyn was keen some would have to prove their loyalty first and that a private meeting of labour mps tonight everyone agreed they would fight hard and privately they all understand theyre going to have to. This is a nation defining contest and it starts now. Lets speak to our political correspondent, eleanor garnier, at westminster. She wants a strong hand when she talks to the folks in brussels but theresa may is riding high in the polls. That is exactly right. Campaigns are unpredictable and victims can come from nowhere in the Election Campaigns when politicians are pounding the pavement up and down the country. Yes, Opinion Polls give theresa may a huge lead, more than 20 points. That is something to ta ke than 20 points. That is something to take notice of. As we have learnt in the last month and years, this political era has become extremely difficult to predict and work out what is going to come next. We have been taken by surprise with this Snap Election. Many politicians in westminster had not been expecting this, not least because Downing Street and the pm played down any chance of a Snap Election. Theresa may, we think, is also, i think, chance of a Snap Election. Theresa may, we think, is also, ithink, she has been tempted to go for this early election because of a potential clash that may have been coming up ahead with a general election in 2020, as had been originally planned, and the close, the crescendo, if you like, of brexit negotiations, that would be due to be completed in early 2019. We understand that is one of the things playing on theresa mays mind in recent days as she made this decision. Of course, she has said she wants their selection to be about brexit. She made that clear on the steps of Downing Street this morning. Other political parties, labour we noted today, will be wanting to argue about the nhs, education, other areas of the economies. While there will be talk about brexit and the negotiations and what type of Brexit Theresa may will get, we can be sure the campaign will cover a vast area of interest. Indeed. Many thanks. The so in just over 7 weeks time, voters across the United Kingdom will be asked to go to the polls yet again