Would fight to avoid a hard brexit. The Prime Minister has just left Downing Street for a meeting with Conservative Backbenchers. There will be a vote in the House Of Commons tomorrow to approve the election plan. Weve extended coverage of the Surprise Announcement this hour. Our main story at five the Prime Minister has announced plans for a Snap General Election to be held onjune the 8th. In a Surprise Statement in Downing Street this morning, theresa may said britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the eu referendum. She said divisions risked injuring Brexit Negotiations. Defending her u turn, mrs may said she had reluctantly come to the conclusion that a vote was necessary, adding the country is coming together but westminster is not. She will need parliamentary approval to formally call the election, with a vote being held tomorrow. Our Political Correspondent, ben wright reports. Out of the blue, number 10 announced there would be a statement from the Prime Minister. Out of the blue, theresa may stunned westminster and the country with this. I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet, where we agreed that the government should hold a General Election, to be held on 8thjune. The next General Election was not due until 2020, but theresa may said a poll was needed now. The reason she gave . To bring political stability to brexit. At this moment of enormous national significance, there should be unity here in westminster, but instead there is division. The country is coming together, but westminster is not. 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 formerly 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 that because the governments majority is so small, our resolve will weaken and they can force us to change course. They are wrong. The Prime Minister said she had only recently and reluctantly decided to call an election, but said the Political Choice was now stark. It will be a choice between strong and stable leadership in the national interest, with me as your Prime Minister, or weak and Unstable Coalition government, led byJeremy Corbyn, propped up by the liberal democrats, who want to reopen the divisions of the referendum, and Nicola Sturgeon and the snp. Every vote for the conservatives will make it harder for Opposition Politicians who want to stop me getting thejob done. Prime ministers now have to get the approval of parliament before they can call a Snap Election. A two thirds majority of mps is needed and labour will back the Prime Ministers move in the commons tomorrow. This morning, Jeremy Corbyn said he was ready for the election fight. 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 in problems, which has left our schools underfunded, which has left so many people uncertain. We want to put the case out there to the people of britain for a society that cares for all, an economy that works for all and a brexit that works for all. The First Minister of scotland said the Prime Minister was trying to force through a so called hard brexit. The Prime Ministers announcement today is all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests of the country overall. Clearly, she sees the opportunity, given the disarray in the ranks of the labour party, to crush her opposition, to get rid of people who disagree with her and to give herself a free hand to take the country in the increasingly right wing direction she wants to take it in. The lib dems will fight against the governments strategy for brexit. 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 us in the Single Market. And its an opportunity for us to have a decent, strong opposition in this country that we desperately need. The ukip leader, paul nuttall, welcomed the General Election. But make no mistake, he said, this was a decision driven by the weakness of labour, not the good of the country. Labour certainly goes into this election a very long way behind the tories in the Opinion Polls. Labour mps in marginal seats are likely to be sweating at what could be seen by some as an audacious political ambush by theresa may. So she has rolled the dice, she is confident she will win, but politics has never been more unpredictable and a lot can happen in a six week campaign. Ben wright, bbc news, westminster. Our Political Correspondent Eleanor Garnier is at Downing Street for us. Theresa may would not call this if she did not think she was going to wind, but there are risks. Of course, there are risks and as ben was then, politics is extremely unpredictable. It has proved to be so over unpredictable. It has proved to be so over the last few months, if not couple of years. Simon, theresa may has just left number ten downing couple of years. Simon, theresa may hasjust left number ten downing st to go to the House Of Commons, where she is going to be addressing Conservative Backbench mps. She is going to be addressing Conservative Backbench mp5. I think Downing Street is pretty busy this evening. We have got people who have been here at a Versace Party in number ten, having their photographs taken, but she has gone to the House Of Commons to address conservative mps. She will of course be getting them motivated for the campaign ahead, getting them ready to pounce the pavements of this General Election 2017 campaign. And it will bea election 2017 campaign. And it will be a surprise to many conservative mps. It has been a surprise to many in westminster, because Downing Street and the Prime Minister have played down the prospect of calling a Snap Election. Of course, they said they did not want the instability that comes with a campaign, the unpredictability whilst Brexit Negotiations are going on. All the while in the background must have been that nagging feeling, that temptation that if we didnt just go to the polls, could we get a bigger majority . Because of course, the trouble that theresa may has experienced in the House Of Commons has mainly been caused by her own mps, by her backbenchers. Some of those have been rebelling and i guess with such a small majority, she will be hoping notjust that she will be creating more stability, but that she will be able to come back to the House Of Commons with a far bigger majority of which to govern overfor bigger majority of which to govern over for the next five years. Thank you very much. Lets talk to the mp5. The former conservative party leader. The former labour shadow minister clive lewis, who resigned from the Shadow Cabinet overJeremy Corbyns handling of the triggering of article 50. This is quite a u turn. This is quite a uturn. I think that every day is quite surprised by the judgment was ordered last month or so, she has had a thing about what the best way forward is and i think two things are really important. The first, domestically getting the legislation on brexit drew is a real issue about how one that is going to ta ke issue about how one that is going to take and how much, you know, blocking there is going to be in the House Of Lords. And in balance needs a mandate to send a strong signal there. The second part is that she herself off the field, i believe, that she needs a mandate. She was not elected Prime Minister and we have gone through brexit, the country have made a decision to leave and there is a real sense that as you walk through those negotiations, having that personal mandate and having a strong government behind you i think is critical in that process as well. I think there is a combination of reasons and thirdly, domestic issues. She wants to get a mandate on things like Grammar School selection and various others and i think that is important to the country as well. Clive lewis, Jeremy Corbyn today hardly mentioned brexit but he did talk about the nhs. He spoke about education. Is that what youre going to be pushing . Is that the message labour will be pushing on the i think it will be pushing on the i think it will be pushing on the i think it will be part of it but this is a decision about the future of our country. If theresa may wanted a mandate, she would have chosen to look for that mandate once she became Prime Ministers some months ago. This is about political opportunism. She had lied to the British Public about not having a Snap Election and has started this ona Snap Election and has started this on a lie so ultimately, she is looking at some of the qualities of David Cameron and realising that she cannot achieve them. Now we have an opportunity and the country to see what kind of brexit is that we want. Do we want a hard, Conservative Brexit and all that comes with that in terms of the policies on Grammar Schools and education, nhs funding and Social Care Funding . All those things that are so important to be built. 0r things that are so important to be built. Or do we want an alternative . That is what will be at stake in this election, possibly one of the most important in living memory. This election, possibly one of the most important in Living Memorym this a fight that the liberal democrats relish . Absolutely it is. I agree with what clive was then, it is vital that the voters get the opportunity to have their say about the hard brexit that the conservatives are pursuing. I think thatis conservatives are pursuing. I think that is really important. We have always been consistently opposed not just leaving the European Union but the particular way that the conservatives want to implement that and arranged our other policies and we are pleased to get this opportunity. You do not feel that this will be a rerun of the referendum on the doorsteps . No. What we have always been pushing for if they bought on the terrace. Once we have embarked on that negotiations with the eu, once we have come back with an agreement, what we have always said is that should be put to a further vote. We have been pushing for negotiation oii we have been pushing for negotiation on the terrace. We dont want a rerun of the referendum but want to give people the final say on what happens next. Iain duncan smith, it was a surprise this morning, caught most people by surprise. What do you think her mind . I think it is a slow process over the last few weeks and months, where they will issue around how easy or difficult it is going to be too that the legislation through Parliament Without a strong mandate post brexit, i think that is important. I think the second issue is really about having that strong mandate that demonstrates to the European Union that you are reading a strong government that is able to negotiate, and the british at giving you that mandate, to carry out that negotiation. We want to try to get the best deal possible with the eu and that means a certain amount of strength the negotiations. The third area, asi strength the negotiations. The third area, as i say, theresa may has certain issues she wants to raise in terms of the domestic agenda. She wa nts terms of the domestic agenda. She wants more on social care and grammar skills, wants more on social care and grammarskills, a number of different things, judy was meant to be the launch of the industrial policy, all of that kind of area are in some Degree Departures from what her predecessor wanted and in some degree positions. For her, it is about getting, quite reasonably, a personal mandate as Prime Minister but also a government that has a strong position in the House Of Commons to be able to face on, at some point, the lords, if they decide to block or make it very difficult to get that legislation through. I think that is important but there is also a Big Domestic Agenda as well. If theresa may right to say she needs to have a stronger backing as she goes into brothels and the proceeds brexit, she needs as many of westminster behind her as she can possibly get . |j as many of westminster behind her as she can possibly get . I am sure that is what you will be telling herself, and telling the public. But i think the reality is much of this is about the reality is much of this is about the internal dynamics of the conservative party. There will be people in her own party on that issue, and shell only has a very slim majority, the former is about the internal dynamics of her own party. The internal dynamics of her own party. So the internal dynamics of her own party. So some of this is about the internal dynamics. This is going to make any difference, for many years to come. When the public look at this, i know you were talking before about a rerun of brexit, it will not be. Things have moved on andl will not be. Things have moved on and i think everybody accepts that the Referendum Result has happened and it is how do you begin to articulate a future for this country . What kind of deal and relationship are we going to have with europe and i think those will be some of the key issues. It will also come down, as well, to what country you want to have and what relationship with europe. Thatll be the key thing and that is what we as the key thing and that is what we as the party will be campaigning and fighting on, a lot of the issues we think the public are on our side on. If the lib dems increased their numbers in this building behind us, how will you use that thought which what will you try to persuade theresa may to change in her approach to brussels . Well, our priorities have always been quite clear. We wanted to remain within the Single Market, we do not think the Single Market, we do not think the Referendum Result was a mandate to dignified us out of it. We want to dignified us out of it. We want to protect our Trading Relationships with the youth and continue to collaborate on security and intelligence sharing. With the eu. And we want to guarantee the rights of eu nationals to stay in this country and i think it is shameful that she has not already made a commitment to that. Both are amongst our priorities. Well, six had weeks ahead for all thank you very much forjoining us. That announcement was made just before 11 15am. Scheduled for 11 15am. When they announced it at mine out, nobody knew what was coming but the bbc Cosmopolitan Editor tweeted that she had heard from one source that the election was going to be called for the 8th ofjune. Within five minutes, theresa may confirmed that. Youre watching bbc news. There will be a commons vote on the proposed election tomorrow. Labour have said they will vote with the government, withJeremy Corbyn welcoming the election as a chance to stand up for the people of britain. The Scottish First minister Nicola Sturgeon said mrs mays announcement was one of the most extraordinary u turns in recent political history. She said it was a huge political miscalculation by the pro minister who she is accused of putting her personal priority above the counters. Alex forsyth has more details. David cameron at the helm, campaigning on the economy, the nhs and with a promise to hold a referendum on eu membership. That was a decision that led to his resignation, when the country but brexit. I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction. So, theresa may took over and pledged from the start to honour the Referendum Result. Brexit means brexit, and we are going to make a success of it. Despite her slim majority in the commons, she repeatedly said they would not be an early election. I am not going to be calling a Snap Election. I have been very clear that i think we need that period of time, that stability, to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020. But with such a slim majority in the House Of Commons, parliamentary battle over brexit beckoned. Theresa may won the mandate but will have to overcome a rule that says elections can only be held every five years. To get round the fixed Term Parliament act, theresa may will need the backing of two thirds of mps for an election, Orare Two Thirds of mps for an election, or are there must be a vote of No Confidence in the government. Act could be repealed, or a new law enacted. Tomorrow, theresa may will put a motion before parliament seeking a General Election on the 8th ofjune. She will almost certainly get the backing she needs. She hopes to increase support for her brexit plan from across the country, and among mps, but General Elections are always a risk. Although the labour party are any dire position in the Opinion Polls, a lot of the think that they have are safe, and is actually the Opinion Polls were too narrow during the course of this campaign, i think we should bear in mind in particular theresa may is very much now going for a Vote Conservative for my vision of brexit, and that perhaps is going to make some conservative vote rs is going to make some conservative voters unhappy. If that elite were too narrow, we could discover that she is back with a smaller majority than perhaps she is hoping for this morning. So, once again, who holds control here and with how much clout will be for the countries inside. The country to decide. Lets talk about what this Snap Election means in terms of the law and fixed Term Parliaments. Joining me now is dr andrew blick from Kings College london. Does this not make a mockery of the next Parliament Act . You could do that. When this was introduced, it was feared that this would be a way of removing the power to call an early election from the personal discretion of the Prime Minister of the day, to stop that power being abused for Party Political game. You could argue if theresa may gets the early General Election she wants, she has bypassed all that yet again. So it has to go through a post tomorrow, that is the safeguard, if you like . That is the safeguard and two thirds of all mp5, including Va Ca Nt Two Thirds of all mp5, including vacant seats, have to vote for it foran vacant seats, have to vote for it for an early election to come immediately to stop there is another way it can happen is that does not get through. Which is close to iraq this would be unusual but the government could table a motion of in itself and a simple majority, if passed, did then, if within a 1k day period a Confidence Motion is not passed, then lead to an early General Election. She would not even need two thirds majority for that, just a simple majority of one would be enough. Under this arrangement, after the vote tomorrow, assuming that was through, what is the process them in terms of. When does the queen have to be informed . There is a royal proclamation actually fits the date of the General Election, but it seems that they did have already been preordained as Beauty Ofjune so you could say there is quite a lot of pre emption going on in the sense that before the election had even been agreed to by parliament and before the date had even been set, we have been told the Prime Minister has called a General Election for the 8th ofjune. I suspect this is all going to happen, but it does raise questions about the impact of the 2011 fixed Term Parliament act and what difference it actually makes. The question it raises about that act is is it tough enough . Some would say that you need a bit of flexibility in the act, that actually you needed to build into the act the possibility that in exceptional circumstances, and perhaps these are post brexit both circumstances are exceptional, you should be able to get a General Election to settle a political issues that of a defence of the act and a defence of the measures the pro minister is digging today. And a defence of the measures the prominister is digging today. Did you expect when this act went through that so soon it would be tested in this way . Nobody was anticipating it would and in such bizarre circumstances. However, when the bill was going through parliament, there were questions raised about the way it had been, and whether actually some of these Safety Mechanisms were going to work. But it was moved to parliament very quickly because of the Political Climate of the time. Very quickly because of the Political Climate of the timem very quickly because of the Political Climate of the time. It is good of you to come and talk to us. Thank you. Thank you. We can get more reaction now from around the uk. In a moment, we will be speaking to out correspondents in belfast and cardiff but first, our scotland correspondent, lorna gordon, is in edinburgh. 0ne one of the first to respond today, of course, was Nicola Sturgeon. Yes, and she responded extremely robofly. She called this a huge political miscalculation on the part of theresa may. She argued that mrs may was putting her party ahead of her country, and there are very complex politics at play here in scotland. It feels like this is yet another unforeseen moved in a very complex three dimensional game of political chess that is underway, because what will be at play here are our domestic policies, yes, brexit, yes, but also bubbling away in the background that question of a second independence referendum. Theresa may touched on it on her comments this morning, think this is about certainty and stability. She said she would be campaigning for the future of the united kingdom. Ruth davidson, the leader of the scottish conservatives, also highlighting that they will use this as an opportunity to voice their opposition to a second vote on independence. I was speaking to Ruth Davidson just a few moments ago and she was fed said she was hopeful her party would win a clutch of seats here in scotland. The other parties here in scotland are also relishing the opportunity for a General Election fight. Later, the lib dems and the greens all hoping to eat into that impresses the 56 seats that the snp won out of 59 at the last General Election. But Nicola Sturgeon calling this one of the most extraordinary political u turns in recent political history. Arguing that this, in her opinion, would give scott is a further chance to reject what she called the narrow divisive policies of the conservatives. 0f divisive policies of the conservatives. Of course, the conservatives. Of course, the conservatives would disagree with that and hope to increase the number of mps in scotland. That is the situation here, what about in Northern Ireland . 0ur ireland correspondent, chris page, is in belfast. This has been called in the midst of Northern Irelands most serious political crisis for a decade. Northern ireland has been without a devolved government for more than three months since the Power Sharing Executive at stormont collapsed. Negotiations have been going on between the parties to try to restore power sharing, but there is no deal inside and the prospect of another divisive Election Campaign certainly is not, most people think, likely to help the parties compromise. Westminster elections in Northern Ireland, because they are first past the post raises, do tend to be frankly an expression of which community is winning, that is the way many people would look at it. Last time around, for example, you had the two main Unionist Parties coming together and forming a pact which was electorally essentially successful in that it resulted in unionists winning two constituencies that otherwise would have probably gone to non unionist candidates. The things will mean that this election will be even more focused on the constitutional issue than has been the case in the past. Firstly brexit, the fact that most people in Northern Ireland voted to stay in the eu, that really reignited the debate about a united ireland. Unionists lost their overall majority at stormont before and sinn fein came very close to doubling the democratic unionists as the Largest Party at stormont. Now, that is the situation in Northern Ireland, lets look at what is going on in cardiff. A striking contrast actually in the political response to this decision made by theresa may. Incidentally we are told she needed while hill walking in snowdonia last week. Broadly speaking, the parties in wales have given an impression of itching to get stock into a general Election Campaign, probably best reflected in a tweet from the leader of plaid cymru, were she said it was game on. The striking reception to this was the response of the labour party, and the leader of welsh labour, the First Minister, usually based behind me in cardiff, questioning the timing, questioning whether it was any national and even questioning what effect it would have on the Northern Ireland peace process. The glaring omission here is the clear concern behind the scenes that labour in wales will fail ina scenes that labour in wales will fail in a number of marginal seats and they are still the big political presence in wales. Two years ago, the conservatives did well in the General Election and the calculation from the welsh conservatives is that wales voted to leave and, as a result, there will be many people in wales who all want to give theresa may the mandate to take the uk out of the European Union. Plaid cymru and the liberal democrats clearly both feel buoyed by this and their close connection with the remaining camp is something that they feel will give them and opportunity in the coming weeks. In wales, there have been fewer elections and referenda and maybe scotland and Northern Ireland, but certainly more than theirfair share Northern Ireland, but certainly more than theirfairshare in Northern Ireland, but certainly more than their fair share in wales was like as it is questionable whether enthusiasm from the Political Parties is shared by the wider public. Thank you all. So, what has been the impact on the markets today . Our Business Editor simonjack is with me now. Did they like his announcement . Pretty muted at first. Did like surprises generally. After a little wobble at about 11am the kind of good and a bit of a cert and the market is therefore think the economic backdrop for this is favourable for theresa may. The economy has done better than many people predicted after the vote, the job markets look strong and, crucially, peoples average earnings are going up just crucially, peoples average earnings are going upjust a little bit faster than prices. That is expected to turn around in the not too distant future, so that part of the window is closing. What the markets are also seeing if they are basically saying that they think she will win, that the majority will be increased and thirdly, and this is what people think of a stretch, that will reduce the reliance on hardline eurosceptics within her own party and give her the latitude to deliver and give her the latitude to deliver a slightly softer brexit. The treasury for one thing that is going a little bit far but they are definitely telling us that the economic window for this political gamble is very much open. Softer brexit in terms of what . Well, it will give her a bit more breathing room. 0n the current timetable, with an election in 2020, she has got to deliver a clean, whether hard or soft, brexit by 2019. She may be enmeshed in negotiations, she may not have a total grip on the immigration issues by then. It is a very difficult time to go back to the country, when you have got it in table like. That is the kind of latitude she might get from this and, as i say, the economic backdrop to this is quite favourable for an incumbent, because the economy, job market and we did all quite strong. Elections elsewhere in europe they have also got their eye on . The Business Grew Radical response. They said this was a distraction when we are trying to get the best deal we can. There is no real meaningful negotiation that can happen at a top level until elections are over with in france, germany and possibly italy. Everybody else was having elections, why do we not have one too and get more certainty . The markets are seeing this as a bit more short term uncertainty but for the longer term, if she wins, this will give her a bit more certainty and a stronger hand in the negotiations to come. Time for a look at the weather. It looked a little bit breezy there. But funny and for many others it is not a bad day. What a fun time around. The skies are clear to this evening and overnight and that means another frost on the way. Last night, temperatures dipped down to minus 6 degrees. This night, central and southern areas also in for a frost, perhaps frosty than yesterday. The frost we are talking about is mostly outside of city centres. In town, we are in fact talking about temperatures well above freezing. If used in the temperate disks around, or squares, it is time to minus four. This is indicative of way out of town and in the countryside but it is still cold enough for the time of year. Tomorrow, Northern Areas are in for a bit more clout, a few spots of rain, nothing too heavy. The south, east and some central areas as well Inforafine East and some central areas as well in for a fine day. Best temperature at 15, in london. The following few days, not a lot of change. A few spots of rain, mostly across Northern Areas, but the site is looking quite. Warming up a bit across the extreme south. This is bbc news at five. The Prime Minister has announced plans to call a Snap General Election onjune the 8th. Theresa may had previously ruled out the idea but said it was the only way to ensure certainty and stability in the wake of brexit. Both labour and the liberal democrats have welcomed the announcement. Lets just remind ourselves of the moment the Prime Minister revealed her plans this morning. I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet where we have agreed the government should call a General Election to be held on 8thjune. I want to explain the reasons for that decision, what will happen next and the choice facing the british people when you come to vote in this election. Last summer, after the country voted to leave the European Union, britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership. Since i became Prime Minister, the government has delivered precisely that. A Snap General Election poses a major challenge for all the uks main parties. We are challenging the economic narrative that says there has got to be huge cuts. Instead we say invest in the economy and in the future. We area in the economy and in the future. We are a party that will put forward a case to bring about a much fairer and much more decent country than we are getting at the present time we have massive inequalities between the very rich minority and sadly too many People Living in desperate poverty at the other end of scale. The lib dem leader tim farron has also been speaking he was campaigning in cornwall. We are prepared for an election that we thought was going to happen in the autumn. We are in cornwall where our fightback began almost immediately after the election two yea rs immediately after the election two years ago. We can give the british people the chance to change the direction of our country, keep us in the Single Market and give the uk the Single Market and give the uk the decent of strong opposition it needs. Im joined now by another party leader here in westminster paul nuttall of ukip. What was your reaction to the news . I was shocked because just a few weeks ago the Prime Minister said there would be no Snap Election. It is the mother of all new trends and i think we know why. She has seen the Opinion Polls over the weekend and seen that the conservative party are at least 20 points ahead of labour and she has gone for it. I think it is cynical and it creates instability. She said Nicola Sturgeon cannot have a referendum on independence because it would create uncertainty but a General Election creates more uncertainty than anything else. But ukip will fight it hard. She caught the hop. We have been planning for this so we will be fine, we are still strong. This will bea fine, we are still strong. This will be a brexit election. And we can go Above And Beyond anything the conservative party can do. Because we have fought for a clean brexit all our political lives. Love lost only mp and the brexit issue has been taken on by theresa may, many people may question what on earth ukip is for. You say it has been taken on by theresa may at 0k she invoked article 50 but the negotiations have not even begun. We know shes already backtracking on immigration. When people voted on June The 23rd theyve voted notjust to control immigration but cut it. There are now saying Immigration Figures will be the same for the next ten years and that is not what people voted for. I think she will also renege on other things especially fisheries. Shes always been good at talking the talk and if you wa nt want The Real Thing you need to vote ukip. What about the money, can you afford campaign at this stage. Not a problem, we will be absolutely fine. You have lost arron banks, where is the money coming from . Major donors have still bought into our whole ethos. They will continue to fund the party and ukip will be well funded in this campaign. How many seats realistically are you targeting . Were targeting of course, probably double figures. Where we are strong were still strong. Ten . We are going to have a meeting tomorrow to discuss these issues and we will have Clearer A Nswe rs issues and we will have clearer answers in the very near future. Ukip will fight the election hard, it isa ukip will fight the election hard, it is a brexit election, politics is now on our turf. And were pretty confident going in. Thank you very much. Ellie price is at Portcullis House where the 1922 committee of conservative mps is currently being addressed by the Prime Minister. What kind of meeting is that going to be . Well she isjust finished but yes it was a cheerful meeting as you might imagine. Theresa may left the meeting and there was bumpy on the desks and many cheers from backbench mps as well as a number of the ministers who were in the meeting. I think it was a rallying of the troops meeting. Im told what she said inside the meeting was effectively what she said this morning. She reiterated this is about building a firm mandate and not about exploiting the weakness of the labour party. So from that Point Of View it is about the mandate. And the number of mps i spoke to were said that would help them in their own constituencies. 0ne told me it was about having a contemporary mandate. Theresa may of course took over from David Cameron mandate. Theresa may of course took overfrom David Cameron and was not herself elected as Prime Minister so they said that would help them on they said that would help them on the ground. So i think there is a feeling of rallying the troops in many ways and certainly there were smiles on a number of the mps as they walked out. Well craig oliver is here, a former Director Of Communications for David Cameron. Were you surprised . I think no one is one expected a General Election call but we are at a moment in politics where for a Prime Minister is that all the stars are aligned. The labour party in disarray, ukip in disarray, the lib dems might have a resurgence but from a very low base. The other issue is in terms of the Brexit Negotiations, it is becoming clear now that europe and number ten want to be in a position to have an interim deal. They do not wa nt to have an interim deal. They do not want back banging up against a General Election in 2020. So this is a u turn on the other hand and that might hurt her. It is hard when people play sound bites from you and saying absolutely not, it is not going to happen. Will that turn the situation around and makeJeremy Corbyn Prime Minister, i do not. I think we are in a situation where she so far ahead in terms of the question who is the best by minister and who has the most Competent Party to run the government and the idea that that is going to change in the next seven weeks or so seems likely. If the stars are aligned as you say what they would be a good result for theresa may. I think she definitely needs to increase majority and be in a position where significantly, people eat about three figure majorities, and do not think so. Were still in a situation of the old boundaries which is an issue for the conservatives. There are still a number of safe labour seats. But i think she would want to increase that by another couple of dozen seats. So critics who say she is opportunistic and synagogues are probably right . It depends how you see it, as a Prime Minister if you believe the best thing for the country is for you to have a stable situation then you can justify that. Others will accuse you of being cynical, that his politics. And for the mandate, the decision she made last month not to call a Snap Election, why do you think she suddenly changed her mind . election, why do you think she suddenly changed her mind . I think there is a sudden a series of things coming together, the mess the other Political Parties are in, the reality of the Brexit Negotiations, every piece of information she looks that points to hear is a window of opportunity and i should go for it. The risk is small as it is ever going to be. Issue right to call this the brexit General Election, other parties are saying there are other parties are saying there are other issues, Jeremy Corbyn are saying education, the nhs. Little doubt that brexit will be a dominant issue in this election. Other things i think will be interesting. Where is the conservative party in terms of the triple lock for pensioners, in terms of keeping 0. 7 . But i dont not think those issues will change the eventual outcome which is likely to be that theresa may is Prime Minister with an increased majority. Have you spoken to David Cameron . He has said it was a brave decision. But he thinks it is the right decision. His view is that the weight Brexit Negotiations are going, the government wants to give itself a bit of leeway and space. And that is why he thinks she has done the right thing. Do you and he have regrets, this time last year brexit was a long way off and here we are facing what we are now facing. I think the idea that we we re facing. I think the idea that we were not ever going to have a referendum on europe is naive and demise the political reality at the time. The way the politics of mind then was very much that they needed to bea then was very much that they needed to be a referendum on europe and the decisions needed to be taken. I campaigned vigorously for remain and we lost. Thank you very much. Ok, lets look at General Election 2015 to remind ourselves. This was the map. The conservatives took 331 seats. A majority of 12. 99 more seats than labour, who were practically wiped off the map in scotland. This is the only seat they held, edinburgh south. It was a difficult election for the liberal democrats, who were wiped out in the south west. They returned with just eight seats. Lets compare that then to the referendum in 2016. You can see the map looks broadly the same. Conservative areas voting broadly in favour of brexit. North wales, the northwest, northeast, Labour Heartland going for brexit. That will be the challenge forJeremy Corbyn on the doorstep. Yes, the leadership is in favour of brexit, but not all mp5, and they are deeply divided over the terms of brexit they want. Lets look at the by elections for some clues. This is a bright spot for the liberal democrats. They overturned a whopping 23,000 majority that Zac Goldsmith was holding. He stood as an independent. Sarah 0lney took it from him. Richmond park, a very pro remain area. This is a very big brexit area. Stoke on trent central. It was a labour hold. They can hold brexit areas. They saw off a strong challenge from paul nuttall. The dark spot for them was copeland. This was the first time a sitting government had won a by election since 1984, and labour had represented that seat for more than 80 years. A big pro brexit area, 62 , went to brexit. There are things all the parties will have to bear in mind. They will look at that brexit map for clues. There are other things they will have to think about. Voterfatigue. We have had three uk wide elections in three years. There have been elections in scotland, Northern Ireland and wales, three in Northern Ireland in little over a year. Then they will have to think about how the population splits. There are very differing views among different age groups. Young people, you can see in blue, went for remain. Older people in red went for leave. How are these groups of people going to vote in a new General Election . We dont know. They may be some clues in that for all the parties. Labours Andrew Gwynne the mp for Denton And Reddish is the partys campaigns and elections chair. Youre watching television this morning, what was your reaction . think by then it was apparent that the Prime Minister was likely to call an early election. I was a little surprised because although we anticipated the possibility of an early election, what we had not anticipated was that the decision would be taken before the local elections on the 11th of may. I was at Labour Party Headquarters having at Labour Party Headquarters having a meeting about the local elections. So it changed the rest of my day in terms of the issues on the doorstep for a general Election Campaign, Jeremy Corbyn this morning said it was issues like the nhs, education and housing. Where does brexit feature . And housing. Where does brexit feature . Of Course Brexit is an issue because the Prime Minister wa nts to issue because the Prime Minister wants to make it an issue. I think the british people will understand that article 50 has been triggered now and that process is in train. But the General Election is more than about the next two years of negotiations about how we remove ourselves from the eu. It is about what kind of brexit we want and whether or not we want a hard brexit or whether we want to have the brexit that works for ordinary working people in this country. So were not going to become an offshore tax haven on the Outskirts Offshore Tax Haven on the outskirts of the european Single Market. But actually we will protect workers rights, we will ensure that the environmental protections that have been put in place over the past a0 yea rs a re protected been put in place over the past a0 years are protected and enhanced. It is not about stopping brexit but making sure we have a brexit that works for the uk. A General Election is also about a vision for government over a five year period. And i think this gives us an opportunity to set out our store about a fairer opportunity to set out our store aboutafairerand opportunity to set out our store about a fairer and better uk that does not accept the narrative of austerity but is about investing in public services, protecting pensioners and triple lock pensions, ensuring that our children have best education and the best start in mice and ensuring the nhs is protected and ensuring the nhs is protected and social care is invested in. Any General Election is the ultimate test of any Political Party and its leader. Is your leader ready for the fight . We are ready, it gives us a chance to set out our stall in a positive way and gives us the kind of Media Opportunities you do not normally get especially the labour party does not normally get. In a normal situation. So we will have those opportunities to be knocking on the doors and going into town halls and community centres, to be meeting people and setting up the positive Alternative Vision for the direction of this country. That is the challenge that i relish, i know it is one jeromy the challenge that i relish, i know it is onejeromy relishes and the whole Shadow Cabinet will be making sure we set out the case for labour government. Thank you very much. Well, we thank you very much. Robert hall is in maidenhead and sima kotecha is birmingham. I think people here were a surprise Baby Announcement this morning as the rest of us. And it has not yet ruffled the camp of these thamesside communities. It is unlikely to cause any great political upheaval. Theresa may had a majority here in the past election. She was an mp here so people have been watching here so people have been watching her political career for a long time and friends will tell you she always talked about becoming leader of party and leader of the country. So what did Shoppersjust Party and leader of the country. So what did shoppers just down the road in Maidenhead Town Centre make of her announcement to go to the country . What do i think . Its a bit soon, isnt it . Shes onlyjust got in, hasnt she . I dont know what to make of it. Ijust heard it on the news. I was absolutely staggered. That she has called one, i cant really see the reason why. I know theres a lot going on and theres the question about brexit, but, yeah, i was really quite astounded. I think its a good thing, really. I do. I think after the brexit type thing and she went straight into power, i think the people didnt have a chance to have their say. Maybe she should have done it a little bit earlier, but now, it seems to be good. No time like the present, as they say. A General Election . Theyll get in again, unfortunately, because labour, who really do fight for the poor. Jeremy corbyn is a great guy and i think hes wonderful, but hes just not strong enough. I wish he was. Well you heard brexit mentioned. And there was a 53 vote of remaining in this constituency. Local Association Members have said they hoped that the whole debate has not been run during this Election Campaign. They would like it to move on to wider issues. Theresa may herself will have heard many of those issues on the doorsteps. She is here most weeks. She was having organised a Charity Event over last weekend. So whatever the issues are in the coming weeks, people here should have plenty of opportunity to debate them one to one with the Prime Minister. Sima kotecha is in birmingham. Im in the constituency of ladywood, one of ten constituencies in birmingham. This constituency voted for labour, it has a labour mp and has had one since 1970. In the last General Election more than 70 of voters voted for labour. And the ethnic make up if you like this constituency is diverse, a large black and asian population. So what did they make of the Prime Minister and her announcement today, many people are still digesting it to be honest. From those we spoke to many from Working Class backgrounds of you like had not heard the news and when we told them they were surprised. There was also that Voter Fatigue Element on the faces of many of those we informed of the election. Many saying not again. Can we do this again, we are tired and just want someone in Downing Street to make those crucial decisions as we leave the eu. There is a fear if you like among some of those from the ethnic minority population that a hard brexit might lead to some of feeling a bit vulnerable even though they not come from an eu background. They say if there is this consensus that they do not want as many immigrants in the country, how will that affect them. I think that might come out in the vote in seven weeks. Thank you very much. What will tomorrows papers make of todays announcement . Im joined by the journalists lucy fisher from the times and ian leslie of the guardian. Some headlines could be forgiven for being, not again. That is right, this year will be the fourth year we have a major electrical event. Electoral. I think theres a sense where voters might feel fatigue at the thought of going to the polls again. The brexit election could be the headline in the number of papers. Yes and she framed it clearly and decisively as an election about brexit. Whether or not it ends up being about that im not it ends up being about that im not sure. It might actually be about theresa may versus Jeremy Corbyn. Not sure. It might actually be about theresa may versus Jeremy Corbynm was interesting listening toJeremy Corbyn today because his battle lines are going to be the nhs, housing and education. Much of his comedy is half the labour party disagreed with him on his position on brexit. Hes in a tricky position. He cannot just on brexit. Hes in a tricky position. He cannotjust ignore the issue. Or maybe he will. But it is going to be difficult for him if she makes it all about brexit. going to be difficult for him if she makes it all about brexit. I think youre stuck and really the lib dems could benefit from being the party of remaining. We could expect to see a bounce for them in areas like Richmond Park in South West London weather has been a high proportion of remain voters. But as i say the labour party is split on the issue. Is it damaging for theresa may to make this u turn . Is it damaging for theresa may to make this uturn . I think there is a question over whether voter trust in her will be damaged given she said repeatedly there would be no General Election before 2020. For all of us westminster watchers, they might question that. And feel a bit annoyed. I think the general public, people think if youre going to call a Snap Election, you must keep it yourself and the element of surprise is part of the strategic advantage you have a Prime Minister. is part of the strategic advantage you have a Prime Minister. I do not think people will be that upset about her calling an election after saying she would not call one. What i thought was a bit risky, was to tiger winning the election, the tories winning, to the National Cause quite as tightly as she did. To me it felt like maybe she was going a bit too far to say basically if you are a patriot you have got to back me. Back the tories. If you wa nt back me. Back the tories. If you want brexit to go well you have got to back the tories. That method should absolutely be implicit in what they do but to be so explicit about it i just what they do but to be so explicit about it ijust thought was a bit of overreach. Maybe shes been reading the newspapers too much because they have said we know who she is, people trust. Perhaps believing a bit of her own pr. Perhaps. To a certain extent her audience i think is very much the tory party since she became leader. So whether or not she has got as close a finger on the pulse of the electorate, well see. I think it is a little bit more unpredictable than perhaps people are saying. I do not think the labour party is any danger of winning the election but i think the tories might not do quite as well as the Opinion Polls suggested the moment. Because there are many different unpredictable reaction is going on. For instance with a strong remain constituencies where they threatened the tories. Some tory vote rs threatened the tories. Some tory voters may not turn out because they think it is in the bag anyway. If theres one thing weve learned is that elections are crazy difficult to predict. And if were watching in scotla nd to predict. And if were watching in scotland or Northern Ireland, you could be forgiven for thinking, this is an english battle. This is theresa may fighting Jeremy Corbyn. I think that is right, many people may have that sense. Nicola sturgeon has warned theresa may might find it was a major miscalculation. If you look north of the border it is risky, if the snp, they cannot really gain much in terms of the but in terms of the vote share, that could bind the hands of theresa may. Also in Northern Ireland where theres so much uncertainty, to add an extra layer by calling an election could be a cause of dismay. And Nicola Sturgeon morning saying all very well theresa may telling us we cannot have an Independence Referendum Gods were too busy with brexit, and then this happened. Theresa may is saying we cannot have a election but calls on her cell. Absolute rank hypocrisy. Typical of the way westminster thinks it can cast as a side. Sol the way westminster thinks it can cast as a side. So i think it is good news for Nicola Sturgeon and the snp. We will see. Thank you both very much. Lets just go to the skies above westminster. A peaceful and sunny evening here. Very different from what happened this morning but everyone knew the statement was coming but no one knew what it was. Then theresa may announcing that Snap General Election forjune the 8th. Mps come back to westminster tomorrow and will vote on that, they were saying they will vote with the tories so a Snap Election does not likely to go ahead on the 8th ofjune. So the calm of westminster is about to be replaced by six weeks, which are going to be very busy. With that lets get a weather update. Well it is quiet on the Weather Front right now, not a lot happening. It is going to turn quite chilly tonight with those clear skies. A lot of good weather across the country. So tonight frost on the way, last night it was chilly across northern parts of the country. This coming night it is the south getting the frost. You can see the extent of those clear skies. The figure crowd in place across Northern Ireland and also western parts of scotland so a very wea k also western parts of scotland so a very weak Weather Front pushing through here bringing some rain. We had some rain earlier on. It is in the north where temperatures are not going to do away too low. But the lowest temperatures will be around seven areas and the south east. Potentially damaging to some of those tender plants. Tomorrow morning starts off sunny, beautiful weather in the south across east anglia, the midlands and southern parts of wales. Northern areas have thicker cloud, that is the overnight cloud that has been drifting in. So nowhere near as bright. Temperatures in glasgow around 7 degrees for instance. So a quiet morning on the way across most southern and central areas. Some build up of cloud into the afternoon across the midlands and wales. Nice enough weather across the south and decent weather across the south and decent weather across eastern and central parts of scotland. And thursday, High Pressure close by and that means a lot of dry weather. Not com pletely means a lot of dry weather. Not completely because we have weak Weather Fronts on the northern periphery. We have weatherfront sliding around that high in the north bringing some rain. And decent enough temperatures. Friday, one of these Weather Fronts tends to sitting through and what that means is colder air will start to come in from the north once again. I have that it wants a potentially to around 17 degrees. But temperatures will be giving away as we go through the second half of friday. So the weekend overall, at least the beginning of the weekend looking chilly with a cool northerly wind. But it is looking on the dry side. 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 8th of june. Theresa may takes the country and herfellow politicians by surprise and calls for a Snap Election. She says its necessary because of continuing divisions about brexit. At this moment of enormous national significance, there should be unity here in westminster. But instead there is division. The country is coming together but westminster is not. Jeremy corbyn welcomes the election saying its a chance for labour to put forward its vision. Were going out there to put the case for how this country could be run, how it could be different, how we could have a much Fairer Society that works for all