UK Prime Minister Theresa May to seek early election

Breaking News: UK Prime Minister Theresa May to seek early election:

By Angela Dewan and Judith Vonberg, CNN

Updated 1045 GMT (1845 HKT) April 18, 2017.

Story Highlights: 

• PM May is seeking an election for June 8.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has stunned the UK political world by calling for an early general election, seeking a stronger mandate in talks over leaving the European Union.

In an unexpected statement at Downing Street, May said she was seeking a vote on June 8, less than halfway through the government's five-year term.

May, who commands only a slim majority in the House of Commons, said that a new mandate would strengthen her hand in negotiations in Brexit talks. Her decision is a reversal of policy: a month ago, her spokesman said there would not be an early election.

A general election would end the attempts of opposition parties and members of the House of Lords to thwart her Brexit plans. "If we do not hold a general election now, their political game playing will continue," she said.

"There should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division. The country is coming together, but Westminster is not," she added.

She called on voters to throw their support behind her Conservative Party, adding that "every vote for the Conservatives will make me stronger" in Brexit talks.

Under legislation introduced by her predecessor, David Cameron, an early election needs the support of two-thirds of MPs in parliament's lower House of Commons. May said she would place a motion before Parliament on Wednesday.

May is expected to win an increased majority in Parliament. Opinion polls show the opposition Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, at record low levels.

Corbyn said he would not oppose the call for an election. "I welcome the Prime Minister's decision to give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first."

May came to power last July in the wake of the British vote to leave the EU, which led to Cameron's resignation. She has repeatedly said that the decision cannot be reversed, and has pursued a hard line on those who have argued for a phased withdrawal or a loose, continued association with the EU.

BBC News:

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans to call a snap general election on 8 June.

She said Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the EU referendum.

Explaining the decision, Mrs May said: "The country is coming together but Westminster is not."

There will be a Commons vote on the proposed election on Wednesday - Labour have said they will vote with the government.

The prime minister needs Parliament's backing to hold a vote before the next scheduled date of 2020.

Explaining her change of heart on an early election, Mrs May said: "I have concluded the only way to guarantee certainty and security for years ahead is to hold this election."

She accused Britain's other political parties of "game playing", adding that this risks "our ability to make a success of Brexit and it will cause damaging uncertainty and instability to the country".

"So we need a general election and we need one now. We have at this moment a one off chance to get this done.

"I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. Since I became prime minister I've said there should be no election until 2020, but now I have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and security for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions we must take."

In a statement outside Number 10, Mrs May said Labour had threatened to vote against the final Brexit agreement, the Liberal Democrats had stated they wanted to "grind the business of government to a standstill", the SNP have said they would vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britain's membership of the EU - and "unelected" members of the House of Lords had vowed "to fight us every step of the way".

"If we don't hold a general election now, their political game-playing will continue and the negotiations with the European Union will reach their most difficult stage in the run up to the next general election," she said.

Analysis: By BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg

For months Theresa May and her team have played down the prospect of an early poll.

The reasons were simple. They didn't want to cause instability during Brexit negotiations.

They didn't want to go through the technical process of getting round the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

They didn't want the unpredictability of an election race.

And many in the Conservative Party believed there is so little chance of the Labour Party getting its act together before 2020 that they could carry on until then and still expect a sizeable majority.

There was also, for Theresa May, the desire to show that she will be a prime minister who sticks to her word.

But the relentless political logic proved too tempting to hold to all of that.

Read Laura's full blog

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The PM challenged the opposition parties: "This is your moment to show you mean it - to show you're not opposing the government for the sake of it, to show that you do not treat politics as a game.

"Let's tomorrow vote for an election - let's put forward our plans for Brexit and our alternative programmes for government and then let the people decide."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he welcomed the prime minister's decision, saying it would "give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first."

He said: "Labour will be offering the country an effective alternative to a government that has failed to rebuild the economy, delivered falling living standards and damaging cuts to our schools and NHS.

"In the last couple of weeks, Labour has set out policies that offer a clear and credible choice for the country. We look forward to showing how Labour will stand up for the people of Britain."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused the Conservatives of seeing "a chance to move the UK to the right, force through a hard Brexit and impose deeper cuts", adding: "Let's stand up for Scotland".

In his response to Mrs May's announcement, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron tweeted: "This is your chance to change the direction of your country. If you want to avoid a disastrous hard Brexit. If you want to keep Britain in the single market. If you want a Britain that is open, tolerant and united, this is your chance.

"Only the Liberal Democrats can prevent a Conservative majority."

abc News:

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said she will hold a vote in Parliament on Wednesday to call for a general election on June 8.

"I have just chaired a meeting of the Cabinet, where we agreed that the government should call a general election," May said in brief remarks outside 10 Downing Street on Tuesday.

May replaced David Cameron as prime minister when he resigned the day after he lost the Brexit referendum vote in June of last year.

"Despite predictions of immediate financial and economic danger, since the referendum we have seen consumer confidence remain high, record numbers of jobs, and economic growththat has exceeded all expectations," May said.

"Britain is leaving the European Union and there can be no turning back," May said. "Our opponents believe that because the government's majority is so small, our resolve will weaken and that they can force us to change course. They are wrong."

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.