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 it's 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 it's a chance for labour to put forward its vision. we're 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. for some, the election is a political opportunity. for others, it's political opportunism.

it's very clear the prime minister's announcement today is one all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests of the country overall. we have the opportunity to give the british people the chance to change the direction of the country, to be opposed to a hard brexit, keep us in the single market and give britain the decent, strong opposition it deserves. and how do voters feel about a second general election in two years? not another one? oh, for god's sake, i can't stand this. there's too much politics going on at the moment. why does she need to do it? we will be looking at why the prime minister has decided to call for an election now and how the vote in seven weeks' time could alter the political landscape. and we will have more reaction to the prime minister's plans throughout the day here on bbc news.

good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six from downing street, where this morning the prime minister called for a snap general election onjune the 8th. theresa may said britain needs certainty, stability and strong leadership following the eu referendum. explaining the decision, mrs may said she has reluctantly come to the conclusion that a vote is necessary, adding "the country is coming together but westminster is not." she will need parliamentary approval to formally call the election — a vote on that will be held tomorrow. in the first of tonight's reports, our political editor laura kuenssberg on this year's general election. did she surprise them? did she

surprise you? did theresa may even surprised herself? her biggest decision as prime minister, taking 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 8th ofjune. call a general election to be held on the 8th 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 britain's 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 government's 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. if you are in any doubt about how the tories will frame your choice...|j have tories will frame your choice...” have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. since i became premised, 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 the selection and seek your support for the decisions i must take. every vote for the conservatives will make me stronger when i negotiate with britain —— for britain with the prime ministers, chancellors and president 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 more secure future. most of her ministers have been in the dark. only in the last few days did she decide. theresa may only moved in year 279 days ago. but she has 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? reluctant to tell us when did you know? reluctant to tell us when you knew? when did she change her mind? when did the prime minister change her mind? good morning. lovely day. when did you know there was going to be an election? when i heard this morning. labour will support tomorrow's thought to push the button even thought to push the button even though the weakness ofjeremy corbyn is one of the reasons why an early election is on. his supporters hope that his ideas will cut through.” 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, our schools are underfunded and so many people uncertain. we want to put our case out there for the people of britain, for 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 not be what about patterns —— about what happened here but the whole country. the tories will not promise another vote on independence in scotla nd another vote on independence in scotland but nicola sturgeon will. this is the biggest u—turn in recent political history. it is very clear that the prime minister's announcement today is one of about the narrow interests of her own party and not the interests of the country overall. on the road already, as planned. 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 wa nt country, to decide that they do not want a hard brexit, they want to

keep britain in the single market andindeed keep britain in the single market and indeed it is an opportunity for us 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 the selection having gone back on their promise not to hold one... many people in this country will think, theresa may told me she would not do this and now she is. cani me she would not do this and now she is. can i trust? why should i? when the facts change, you change your mind. she was reluctant to make this decision but she was brought to the decision but she was brought to the decision by the fact that presenting herself with a mandate that allows us herself with a mandate that allows us to get the best outcome for brexit and for britain is a policy, thatis brexit and for britain is a policy, that is the thing that is in the national interest. that looks like this election is entirely about brexit, that theresa may is so worried about how hard it will be, she feels she needs a thumping majority of tory backbenchers to get it through. of course we want a strong mandate, but the aim is to do

two things, one is to provide a strong mandate for brexit and the other is a strong mandate for the future. the country will be asked for its view again, let's than a year since the referendum, when everything around you changed.” think she has been changing her mind over a little while. i think instinct was not to do it for strong reasons, and she did not want the public to think it was political. i think this sense of the nature of parliament has changed quite a lot in the last month or two. this is the ultimate test for us because thatis the ultimate test for us because that is what we are in politics for. we are in politics to win elections, to win power, to put our values into practice, and we've 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 properly early of

any campaign claims casualties, too. just ask anyone who has ever lived at this address. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. well as you heard there, both labour and the liberal democrats have welcomed the decision to call an early election. they now have just seven weeks to make their pitch to the nation that they can be the ruling party — or at the very least prevent a bigger tory majority. our deputy political editorjohn pienaar now on the challenge for some of the opposition parties ahead of the general election. westminster‘s shutting up shop soon, again. and they're off, again. the sound bites, the slogans, all desperate for your attention. why now? the tories start strongly. labour and its leader trailed badly. whilejeremy corbyn labour and its leader trailed badly. while jeremy corbyn supporters labour and its leader trailed badly. whilejeremy corbyn supporters are working hard to beat the odds. to point up the issues on policies, they hope may somehow prove the polls wrong. the british public vote on leadership when it comes to general elections and as of now, jeremy corbyn is a mile behind.” think the more people focus on our programme and our leadership, the more tawdry watch theresa may is

offering will seem. the british public do not want a prime minister handing him at hand in glove with donald trump. they 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 there going to be any element of him on your material?” will be the candidate in chester and it will be my name on the ballot. i will be talking about my record and the things i have achieved. is jeremy corbyn an asset or a liability, in a word? well, he attracts some people's 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 they are the most pro europe party in politics and survivors of that famous wrote believe they can turn scepticism about brexit into support for them. they have a lot of

recovering to do. if you look at the british glitter spectrum, there is quite a large centre ground, which certainlyjeremy corbyn as a backbencher has never occupied. and which theresa may, by pressuring ha rd which theresa may, by pressuring hard brexit, also does not seem to wa nt to hard brexit, also does not seem to want to occupy. it is there for the taking for the lib dems. you are hoping this might be the beginning of the beginning of a comeback? let's 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 hope that the lib dems are not ready for the road back to westminster.” don't think the lib dems have restored their infrastructure after the dramatic losses in 2015. but you know you will have a fight on your hands? we know we will and we will a lwa ys hands? we know we will and we will always fight to win. nigel farage. since nigel farage left to seek his own political fortunes, backing

donald trump, the party has lost ground. they have lost the odd election they might have won. the referendum has gone and so is nigel farage. you are a party without a purpose. i do not buy that at all. theresa may may well have triggered article 50 but the negotiations have not started yet. if people want brexit, as they voted for injune 23, they will only get that if they have ukip mps elected to the house of commons and that is why we go into this election feeling confident. you look optimistic but you will need to be? we are optimistic because we are the party opposing brexit and the deposition doubling back demolishing of our public services. the prime minister has chosen a time of maximum advantage to call this election, as prime ministers always have and possibly always will. now all parties will have to scramble to choose candidates to raise millions in donations and in a rush to put together a policy manifesto that will decide britain's future for the

next five years. 51 days, then, to change or rehouse the tenants of this place. excitement and drama for some. this place. excitement and drama for some. for others, may be fed up with another election so soon, time may pass more slowly. it will be a brexit election but britain's future remains to be decided. laura kuenssberg is with me. this took all of us, not least the cabinet, by surprise. so after repeatedly insisting she wouldn't call an election, why has mrs mayjumped now? i think ithink are i think are stated reasons are not quite the whole story. she says that she had no choice, there would be opposition antics over brexit. it has been tricky over the last couple of months for the government in parliament, getting brexit plans through, but it has not been impossible. like any big human decision, there is a mixture of motivations here. if she ends up with a bigger majority, as the conservatives hope, and expect, of course it will be easier for her to get brexit plans through parliament.

0f get brexit plans through parliament. of course it will give her a stronger arm, stronger political muscle when dealing with tricky negotiations with her eu counterparts. but it will also give ministers that bit more time, a bit more breathing space to deliver the logistics of brexit. because the negotiations will not be racing up towards a ha rd negotiations will not be racing up towards a hard deadline of a general election in 2020, just when things are getting rougher. and crucially for theresa may, it will give her more time and more political freedom to focus on the things she cares about apart from the european union. whether that is schools or social care. so in a broad sense, i think she wants her own individual mandate and she has come to believe that thatis and she has come to believe that that is how she will get some political freedom, how she that is how she will get some politicalfreedom, how she might that is how she will get some political freedom, how she might be able to buy a ticket out of what has beenin able to buy a ticket out of what has been in very constricted political situation, not of her own choosing. but of course, although the polls suggest she will end up with a hefty majority, the poland tonight proves absolutely nothing, and the

hurly—burly of any political campaign can have all sorts of unintended consequences and all sorts of unexpected political victims, too. we will come back to you later in the programme but for now, thank you. more than 44 million people are likely to be eligible to vote in the general election. some constituencies, where the vote was close in the 2015 election, will attract particular attention. one of those is dewsbury, in west yorkshire, a seat which labour gained from the conservatives at the last election. our correspondent, danny savage, is there. fiona, just 1,161 votes separated labour from the conservatives at the last general election here. this has to be one of the seats theresa may aims to win to increase her party's majority. i've spent the day in this constituency talking to ‘the voters' and asking them what their priorities will be onjune 8th and if they've

changed their minds since the last general election. lunchtime today at the west riding refreshment rooms in dewsbury. currently a labour seat, it's the customers here that theresa may hopes will swing her way. but this man, for one, isn't for turning. i'm still going to be supportive of what the labour leadership is seeking to achieve, and certainly extremely negative about what theresa may has been doing. so you'll be voting labour still? nothing's changed since the last general election for you? no. this snap election was the talk of the tap room. the upton family are surprised, but can see where the lines are going to be drawn. the key issue has to be brexit and i think if there was a party that was campaigning to either stop the process or to come out of brexit, i think that certainly would be the party that i would vote for. i think it's a very brave and bold decision that she's made to go for a general election. do you think it'll work for her or it could backfire? i think here, possibly not such a big gamble, but across the country, i think it is more of a gamble.

it's the first general election since i've turned 18, and a lot of my friends are really excited to vote, but i've got no but i've got no idea which way i'm going to vote so i'm going to have to do some research. so the campaigning that the parties are going to do over the next six weeks is vital to you? yeah, it will be. dewsbury is home to a large asian community, but the voters we spoke to haven't changed their preference since the last election. i will vote again for labour. why? because labour do better for the working class. the conservatives didn't do anything for the working class, they make it more hard. labour, i would vote for labour again. so your mind hasn't been changed over the last two years? no, i've been voting for a long time now and i've always stuck to labour. yeah. but in a nearby cafe, one businessman agreed with the reasoning behind today's surprise announcement. i think it's a good thing for theresa may, generally, and i do think hopefully it's needed to have a clearer mandate in order to go forward with brexit.

back at the bar at the railway station, george fits the profile the prime minister is looking for. he voted labour last time, but is supporting the tories this time. i think they'll negotiate the best deal from the eu for our country's best interests. so everyone has a new talking point. the final decision for many of them, though, is still pending. danny savage, bbc news, dewsbury. so what's been the reaction around the uk to today's announcement? sarah smith, our scotland editor, is in edinburgh, chris buckler is in belfast for us and our wales political editor, nick servini, is in cardiff. first, to sarah smith. nicola sturgeon has described this as a "huge political miscalculation" by theresa may? yes. she thinks it's a miscalculation bass nicola sturgeon believes she can use this election

to reinforce her mandate for another referendum on scottish independence. theresa may said there can't be another referendum until well after the uk has left the eu. it will not be brexit that dominates this campaign in scotland, here the arguments are all going to be about independence and whether there should be another vote on that. as voters across scotland are asked to decide who they want to represent dominated by the question of whether westminster should continue to govern scotland. the issue of independence and whether scotland should have another vote on that will be central to this election. nicola sturgeon says she's ready for the fight. i think the prime minister has called this election for selfish, narrow, party political interests, but she has called it and therefore i relish the prospect of getting out there, standing up for scotland's interests and values, standing up for scotland's voice being heard and standing against the ability of a right—wing conservative party to impose whatever policies

it wants in scotland. the snp believes this could be a great opportunity. if they turn in a strong performance in this election, it could bolster their argument for another referendum on scottish independence. the only problem is, they did so well in the 2015 election, winning 56 out of scotland's 59 seats, it's hard to see how they can do any better. and if they lose some seats, well, of course, their opponents will claim that shows scottish voters don't want an independence referendum. many voters who do not want an independent scotland or another referendum now see the tories as the staunch defenders of the union, which they hope could attract more votes in this election. i don't take any voters for granted, and nor should any other party, but we are fit for the fight, ready to go and we think we can put on seats across the country and i think you will find that "peak nat" has passed and

there will be fewer snp mps after 8th june. it is certainly what i will be working towards. there has been a slight adjustment to today's order! scottish labour often struggle to make their arguments heard when the debate is dominated by the question of independence. this is a chance for everyone across the united kingdom to have their say about the type of government they want. what you are going to see a labour campaign focused on labour values, an alternative to tory austerity, and i think that is something worth fighting for. the scottish lib dems will also be arguing against another independence referendum. we want to keep scotland in the united kingdom and we want to keep the united kingdom at the heart of europe, in the single market. that's the opportunity in this campaign. there is a certain irony here, which will not be lost on scottish voters. they were told by theresa may now is not the time for a referendum on independence because politicians should be concentrating on brexit. now she's called an election that will be, in scotland,

all about that vote on independence. sarah smith there with the view from scotland. we'll go to cardiff in a moment, but to belfast next and chris buckler. both main parties there seeing this election as an opportunity. that is true. i suspect many others who feel the last thing northern ireland needs is another vote. bear in mind there have been two assembly elections in the last 12 months. the last one caused by the complete colla pse last one caused by the complete collapse of power—sharing at stormont. that is crisis that has to be fixed. stormont parties had missed two deadlines to form a government and those talks were meant to continue in the days ahead. calling this vote probably leaves them with virtually no chance of success and probably already adds to that sense of political instability here. election campaigns here tend to be divisive. they tend to push the parties apart. commentators called the last one sectarian. this one is unlikely to be very

different. unionistes had are calling it an opportunity to vote for the union while the republicans are emphasising the negative situation of brexit and calling for a united ireland. with the uk parliament looking to be dissolved very soon parliament looking to be dissolved very soon there is the real problem that there is no government at stormont. westminster has two choices, to take over the running of northern ireland, the other is yet another assembly election which will go alongside this general election. chris buckler in belfast, thank you. nick servini is in cardiff for us. the decision has not gone down so well there? that's right. it's worth saying a number of political leaders in wales have given their impression that they want to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into this general election campaign. leanne wood said it was "game on" when she heard the obvious exception is welsh labour.

the leader of the labour party in wales, ca rwyn the leader of the labour party in wales, carwynjones, who said it's a question of whether it's in the national interest, questioned the timing and what impact it would have on the peace process in northern ireland. the obvious omission is the potential vulnerability in wales for the labour party on a number of parliamentary seats. labour is the dominant force, but two years ago the conservatives were effective. wales voted to leave, the calculation from the tories will be there will be many people in wales who will want to give theresa may a mandate to take the uk out of the eu. elsewhere, for wildly differing reasons, the lib dems and ukip will also both feel there are opportunities. no shortage of enthusiasm from many political leaders. i guess the question is whether that's shared among the wider welsh public. there have been fewer votes in referendums in wales than scotland and northern ireland. wales had more of its fair shares of

votes in recent years. we shall see. nick, thank you. well, the country will go to the polls in just seven weeks. theresa may will be hoping to build on her working parliamentary majority of 17. our political correspondent, vicki young, looks at the numbers and where the key battlegrounds for seats are likely to be. theresa may says she wants certainty and stability for the uk and for her that means a clear, conservative election victory. she's made a calculation that she can improve on her party's performance two years ago. this is the electoral map showing the results of the 2015 general election, most striking are the swathes of blue across england and snp dominance in scotland. but look at the number of seats. the conservatives picked up 331, labour won 232, the snp 56, the lib dems and dup eight seats each. with other parties factored in, it left the tories with a very slim majority of just 12.

so, where will the tories try to boost their numbers? the north west and the midlands are crucial battlegrounds, here there are numerous marginal constituencies where very few votes separate conservative and labour. at the last election, labour made little headway here and they face a huge challenge. certainly, theresa may is calling this election against a backdrop where she is very, very much the favourite to win and, in truth, against the backdrop where no opposition party has ever gone into an election in such a weak position in the opinion polls. now, labour desperately need a revival in scotland if they're to form the next government, but the tories and lib dems will also be hoping to prise some seats away from the snp. fascinating too will be the south—west of england, the lib dems' former heartland. they were wiped out here at the last election and are hoping for a comeback, but how will their pro—eu message go down in a region that voted for brexit?

the prime minister seems to be trying to make this a brexit election. if you look at last year's referendum result, you can see why — remain in yellow, leave in blue. how britain voted then could have a big impact on the result injune. will areas that voted remain deliver a bruising message to theresa may? general election campaigns can be unpredictable and, just two years after the last one, voters must decide again whether there will be dramatic changes to the electoral map of britain. so what appetite is there for another general election — just two years after the last one — and a year after the eu referendum? jon kay has been talking to voters in bristol. this is brenda, in her lifetime there have been 19 general elections, so when we told there was going to be number 20... you're joking, not another one! oh, for god's sake, i can't honestly...

i can't stand this. there's too much politics going on at the moment, why does she need to do it? she says this will produce clarity. it gets things out in the open, sorts things out? i thought she said that initially when she took over. brenda spoke for many of the voters we met here in bristol today. regardless of party politics, we found little enthusiasm. are you excited about another election? no. no, not another one! it's too much. it's too much, ain't it? they're just taking advantage of a bad situation at the moment. so, all in all, it's not good for the country. but others welcome the chance to have another say. do you feel ready for a general election? yeah, we need one. it'll be nice if there was some sort of clarity over what's going on. there's a lot of muddled information out there. as for brenda, the politicians have seven weeks to get her out to vote. i think the whole country has had enough of politics, politicians telling us this, that and the other and to have us,

in june, for a general election. no, definitely not. you could stand. i wouldn't want to, my dear, because i don't play the game. jon kay, bbc news, bristol. let's get some final thoughts on today's announcement. in a moment, i'll be talking to laura kuenssberg, but first our europe editor, katya adler, joins us from paris. behind closed doors this evening there is a strong sense of optimism. one be very high—level eu source saided to me this evening that he thought the chances of a good brexit dealfor both sides thought the chances of a good brexit deal for both sides had thought the chances of a good brexit dealfor both sides had gone up enormously hi said if theresa may win as resounding victory at the

poll that triumph would be heard and not those of who he called his hardline brexiteers. the eu would get a strong reliable negotiating partner. he said. he believed that would be good for both partners in the negotiation. there are thoughts this could speed up the process so there could be talks about a future uk-eu there could be talks about a future uk—eu trade relationship far earlier than imagined if talks go well. as soon, i've been told, as the end of september after the german elections. again, if all goes smoothly. let's get some final thoughts on today's announcement, laura kuenssberg is with me. where do you think this election is likely to be won or lost? in any campaign it