of labour's vote, it has a lot of very safe labour seats, and therefore, getting a large majority can be quite difficult and certainly if the polls are perhaps exaggerating the tories‘ lead a little bit or certainly if that lead comes down, to let's say seven, eight nine points, still quite substantial, that could still mean that theresa may doesn't end up with anything like as large a majority she might like. 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? it might be better received in some of the london suburbs which voted to remain in the eu. the conservatives could have a real fight on their hands in former lib dem constituencies such as kingston—upon—thames and twickenham where sir vince cable says he'll stand again.

but if you look at last year's referendum result, you can see why the prime minister wants to frame this as a brexit election. the blue areas voted leave. but many of them have labour mps who backed remain. she also wants to attract some of the four million voters who backed ukip last time. 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. let's get some more reaction to today's news about an early general election. our europe editor, katya adler, is in paris tonight, but first let's speak to our business editor, simonjack, who's in the city this evening. what is your reading of the way that the markets reacted to the news today? well, this may be a political gamble but the folks who make bets

in the offices behind me like theresa may's odds in this one. you saw the pound strengthen, they think the economy is doing well, unemployment rate is low and average earnings are going up a bit more than the cost of living and crucial to understanding the timing of this, thatis to understanding the timing of this, that is not expected to last for long, so get this done before inflation, widely expected to rise, sta rts inflation, widely expected to rise, starts eating into people's earnings. so the markets think she will win. they think she will get a bigger majority, possibly less beholden to some of the hardline eurosceptics in her own party and the markets think that will give her a stronger and a freer hand in the negotiations to come, so the pound has rallied. what is good for the pound is not so good for the stock market, lots of companies here make earnings overseas, as the pound strengthens, those profits are worth less in sterling terms. the stock market had one of its worst days in months. the pound is the one to watch, at the moment the markets

like her chances. thank you very much. let's go live to paris. what did you make of the kind of reaction we have seen today from eu leaders? well, officially in brussels a country's election is very much seen as brussels a country's election is very much seen as a brussels a country's election is very much seen as a domestic affair and brows sells likes to stay neutral but with brexit being such an all—consuming issue such officials could barely contain themselves. we had the president of themselves. we had the president of the european council, donald tus k k who tweeted it was like a hitchcock film, first the earthquake and the tensions rises. . there is a strong sense of optimism. theresa may has called this election hoping to strengthen her hand in brexit ns but officials believe that a strong win for theresa may would help the eu too. they believe that they want to have a strong prime minister

opposite them at the negotiating table, not one they perceive as weak, hostage to interested parties and likely to do u—turns in the negotiation. officials in brussels and berlin and here in paris want theresa may to do well. and if those negotiations following the elections do well, i have been told by high level sources tonight, then the eu would be open to starting those trade deals, the trade talks about a future relationship between the uk and the eu far earlier than had been imagined. but remember, that when the eu talks about good progress in brexit and i heard from a top level source tonight he believes the chances for a good dealfor source tonight he believes the chances for a good deal for both sides now are far improved, but they talk about good progress from the eu's point of view. thank you very much. we'll have more from downing street later in the programme, and we'll be looking at previous instances of british voters going to the polls several times in a relatively short period.

but first, let's have a look at the day's other news with reeta. thanks, huw. in iraq, the ongoing battle for the second city of mosul could result in the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the war against so—called islamic state, according to the united nations. the battle began six months ago and hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped inside parts of the city still in is hands. the militants are now surrounded, but the progress of the iraqi forces has slowed significantly in recent weeks. our correspondent, jonathan beale, and cameraman, barnaby mitchell, are embedded with iraqi troops and they witnessed one of the street battles on the edge of the old city. even at night, you can clearly see the scars on the streets of this city and how brutal the battle for mosul‘s become. we joined the iraqi security forces about to mount yet another assault.

these the same troops who've already been fighting here for months and, even under the cover of darkness, they know their enemy, so—called islamic state, will be ready and waiting. gunfire. as they move into position for what's supposed to be a surprise dawn attack, they're already coming under fire. explosions and gunfire. the commander sets up his headquarters in an abandoned house, soon interrupted by a panic call on the radio — it's his first casualty. dawn breaks and the iraqi forces

are still pinned down. this battle's been raging now for more than two hours and it is over a matter of streets they're fighting. and, as we hear, there is still fierce resistance from is. that is a coalition air strike, it's the iraqis one advantage to keep the enemy at bay. but even air power can't always spot and silence is snipers and nor do the rockets fired by iraqi forces. gunfire. throughout the morning, the casualties mount. gunfire. victory still seems a long way off. explosion.

this one battle, for one street, was still raging when we left, five hours later, out of fear for our own safety. after six months, the iraqi forces have only now reached the edge of the old city, much of what you can see on the west side of the tigris is still under is control and there's every indication they'll be fighting and dying for every single street. jonathan beale, bbc news, mosul. prince william has said the death of his mother, princess diana, was one of the reasons for his involvement in campaigning on mental health issues. the duke of cambridge's comments today follow those of his brother prince harry, who revealed he'd had counselling to help him come to terms with her death. both princes have been campaigning for the heads together mental health charity.

our royal correspondent, peter hunt, reports. hello, prince william. hello, lady gaga. good morning. a transatlantic call that challenges preconceptions — the campaigning future king garnering the support of a global superstar who suffered. lady gaga has lived with post traumatic stress disorder since she was raped as a teenager. we have to make the strongest, most relentless attempt we can to normalise mental health issues so that people feel like they can come forward. thank you, prince william, have a beautiful day. thanks, lady gaga. after his internet brush with stardom, prince william's next stop — as he strives to smash a taboo — was the bbc for a screening of a documentary presented by nick knowles. ten people affected by mental health issues, united by one goal — to run the london marathon. but you're convinced it can help? most definitely. ijust feel like i'm not going to be able to do it. joined by some special guests.

you're the heroes. kate, william and harry want mental health treated like physical health. i really think this is a pivotal moment in the change of mental health. i really feel we are on the cusp of something really big and i know the bbc are keen to continue covering mental health and really trying to make that change. as you can see, you know, i have my own reasons for being involved with mental health, what happened to me and my mother when i was younger. one of the mental health runners who met william is rhian, her one—year—old son died five years ago. her husband, who blamed himself, took his own life, five days later. she's now confronting and talking about her personal pain. the more people we can get to talk about mental health, the better because the silence is killing people and it really is, it's as bad as that. i think, yeah, i should stop talking now. laughter. meeting the runners confronting their adversity and watching the programme left william, he said, feeling quite emotional. their next challenge is the race in six days' time.

thank you. all the best. peter hunt, bbc news. a brief look at some of the day's other news stories: police in the us say a gunman, suspected of shooting a man and then posting footage of the murder on facebook, has committed suicide. steve stephens shot himself after being chased by officers in pennsylvania. the founder of facebook, mark zuckerberg, has said the company will do all it can to prevent similar postings. police in france have arrested two islamist militants suspected of planning an imminent attack days before the first round of the presidential election. prosecutors said that guns and explosives were found in the apartment the suspects shared in marseille. over 8,000 migrants were rescued from the mediterranean over the weekend, after attempting to cross from libya to italy in overcrowded boats, according to aid agencies. fine weather reportedly sparked a spike in the number of people attempting the perilous crossing to europe. football, and leicester city's champions league dream finally came

to an end tonight, after they drew at home with atletico madrid. our sports editor, dan roan, was there. the latest chapter in sport's most remarkable fairy—tale. but sporting miracle is what this club's defined by and now these players were intent on seizing a once in a lifetime opportunity. leicester had returned from the first leg in spain only a goal behind against one of the finest teams on the continent, but they knew they had to take their chances. shinji okazaki wasting this one. and if that was costly, conceding could prove critical. almost immediately, the hosts punished, saul niguez‘s pin—point header extending atletico madrid's lead, the crucial away goal leaving leicester with a mountain to climb. but stranger things have happened as this team has proved and, once again, they set about defying the odds. substitute ben chilwell went close,

before talisman, jamie vardy, gave his side hope. with two more goals needed, suddenly leicester were dominant, manager craig shakespeare urging his side on. the pressure intensified and the hosts never gave in, but time eventually ran out. having reached two of the last three champions league finals, atletico are now one step away again. leicester's remarkable journey over, but it's one they can be proud of and which will never be forgotten. what's gone on here over the last two seasons defies belief. first that premier league triumph and in this, the first time leicester city have been in the champions league, they've managed to go further than any other of the other british teams this season. the fairytale may finally be over, they now of course have to focus purely on premier league football, but what they've managed to do is turn football's established order on its head and no one can ever take that away from them. dan, thank you. oursports

editor there. with more now on the prime minister's announcement of a snap election, let's go back to huw in downing street tonight. huw. our main story tonight is that the prime minister has taken everyone by surprise by requesting a general election on the 8thjune. tomorrow, mps will be asked to approve the plan because under the fixed—term parliaments act the next election wasn't meant to take place until 2020. if, as expected, parliamentary approval is granted, it will mean a third uk—wide poll in the space ofjust two years, something that hasn't been seen since the 1970s. james landale reports on a period of unpredictable politics. archive: at 9.00pm last night, just 23—hours ago, britain's day of decision was over. in the past, politics seemed so certain. we used to go to the polls every four orfive years or so. when we were tired of one party, we'd give the other side a chance. but in the last few years, all that seems to have changed

and the uk's now preparing to go to the polls for the third time in just over two years. we are encircled by multiple uncertainties to a degree we have never been before in anybody‘s lifetime, unless they were alive in the second world war. they are on all the fronts — the european question, britain's place in the world question, the scottish question, the very existence of the united kingdom as we recognise it and have grown up in it. all of these are, to a high degree, up in the air. who would have predicted nick and dave's coalition in 2010? or the referendum they held later on scotland's place in the union? few reckoned david cameron would win an outright majority in the general election in 2015. just as hardly anyone foresaw the result of the referendum a year later. the british people have spoken add the answer is: we're out.