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. and yes, few predicted that would mean theresa may would be in. none of this would have surprised

him because there's precedence for this political turbulence. in the 1920s, there were three general elections in three years alone. but these days, as we ask more of our politicians, are they asking more of us — more votes more often, to renew a mandate or support a particular policy in a referendum? well, we have been here before. in the 1970s, there was also a two—year period with two general elections and a referendum on europe, in which yes, mrs thatcher campaigned for britain's membership. all this voting doesn't please everyone, like brenda in bristol. she's lived through 19 elections. we told her about the 20th. 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? well, for some, theresa may's done it to create more certainty by ending what they see

as a constitutional tension between the result of the referendum and the mood in parliament. there's a conflict between plebiscitary sovereignty, and parliamentary sovereignty, between the referendum and what the house of commons thinks. ultimately, parliamentary sovereignty must prevail. that is what our society, our history has depended upon. theresa may wants a new parliament to see in a new dawn in britain's relations with the eu. unless, of course, politics changes suddenly once again and who'd bet against that? james landale, bbc news. our political editor, laura kuenssberg, joins me again. i'm bound to pick up on brenda's remarks there. there is clearly voter fatigue before we start? absolutely. she won't be the only one. when you talk to people close to theresa may they have been conscious of that for holding them back. does the country want another election? they are aware for many people it will be a sense of — oh,

no, here we go again. it comes down to that calculation. they think what stands to be gained, for them, trumps that as one of the risks. they are aware there is a longries of reasons why some people might resent them going forward with this at all. seven weeks ahead, just about, i'm wondering how you think that will pan out in terms of issues? what kind of campaign will it be? it will be noisy, it will be quick, it will feel like it's going ata quick, it will feel like it's going at a rate of knots. morris than anything else, it will feel extremely different to the last general election. one male reason for that, there nt won't be tv debates. number ten made it clear theresa may isn't interested in the head—to—head clashes we have seen in recent elections. that will look different. there are two other very important differences to the last election. ed miliband and david cameron both young political cos who rose through the ranks quickly inside their own parties. they had that in common, if you like. theresa may and jbg wrbg are chalk and

cheese. we had the long time rebel, now the leader and the reverent‘s daughter who worked her way up over the years. different in style, totally different in political characters, too. also, the context is completely different. going into the last general election, all the way through the two main parties, labour and tory, were chasing each other day by day for the position to be ahead in the polls. it looked like there was almost nothing in it. too close to call. well, in the end, of course, there was a narrow tory majority. we go into this general election in a completely different set of circumstances. polls only give us a flavour, but a very, very strong flavour that the tories enter this race at least with the prospect ofa this race at least with the prospect of a very significant victory, but who knows, 50 days we will have the a nswe i’s who knows, 50 days we will have the answers then. who knows. we will talk again tomorrow. certainly will. laura kuenssberg there are there for us. that's all from downing street tonight, on the day theresa may stunned colleagues and voters by announcing plans for an early

general election on the 8thjune. there's more overnight on the bbc news channel here, on bbc one, it's time for the news where you are. hello, this is bbc news with clive myrie. the prime minister has announced plans to call a snap general election on june 8th. theresa may stunned westminster, as she had previously insisted there would be no election until 2020. defending the 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." our political correspondent eleanor garnier spoke to tim shipman from the sunday times and jack blanchard from the daily mirror to ask why they thought mrs may made the announcement now. about a month ago, there was a bit of mood music that they were thinking about holding an election, and her closest aides said they would not be doing it and any circumstances, at which point

eve ryo ne circumstances, at which point everyone lost interest in the story, no obvious preparations going on. and so everyone thought this was not going to happen, she said you was not going to do it. what has tipped over the edge? what on earth could tipa prime over the edge? what on earth could tip a prime minister with a lead of 20 points?! she wants david cameron botch the european renegotiation, and she has tried to go about her deal with brussels in the opposite way, keeping things secret, threatening to walk away, going big, asking for everything, rather than a lowball offer. with this, she has looked back at gordon brown, who failed to hold an election in the autumn of 2007, and she has said, thatis autumn of 2007, and she has said, that is not going to happen to me. how will labour fight this election? many mps are not in favour ofjeremy corbyn, do we expect local campaigns? i don't think we will see a lot of jeremy campaigns? i don't think we will see a lot ofjeremy corbyn on the labour leaflets, but they will be fighting

for their lives. a lot of labour mps know they could lose theirjobs in the next few weeks. if you look at the next few weeks. if you look at the opinion polls and how far behind they appear to be, they will lose a lot ofjobs, and so labour mps are fighting, i think, lot ofjobs, and so labour mps are fighting, ithink, a lot ofjobs, and so labour mps are fighting, i think, a local campaign, thatis fighting, i think, a local campaign, that is how they will do it. in reign seats, they may find it easier than the pro—brexit seats, who have a double hill to climb, if you like, but labour mps are not happy today. we have two very seniorjournalists here, much better than those two! it is good to see you both. we'll have a full edition of the papers at 11:30, but laura perrins, co—editor of political website the conservative women, and joe watts, political editor at the independent, are here for a brief look right now. this is an amuse—bouche of the papers before the news, why did she

do it? a reluctant decision, but certainly the right decision for the country, because what this general election will do, if the conservatives win it, it will strengthen her negotiating position against brussels in the brexit negotiations. secondly, it will bring stability to the economy, we have already seen sterling rise today on calling this election, and, thirdly, it will bring certainty for at least five years, which will go through the negotiations and after, so through the negotiations and after, so the right decision for the country. 0k, joe, the front page of the daily telegraph, may's bolt of the daily telegraph, may's bolt of the blue, what do you think? well, i think it is a good idea for her, strategically speaking, she will be really reluctant about accepting a landslide victory and all those extra seats to let her do what you once. she very clearly talks in this piece about bringing forward her vision of brexit, you know, she is

very clearly putting the focus on her. she has seen the opinion polls, and she has seen not only how far her party is ahead, but also how far she is ahead ofjeremy corbyn. she is putting the focus on her, it will be about her, pushing through her version of brexit. and while there is this big push to suggest that she very recently and reluctantly made this decision, just in the last few days, there has clearly been an element of contingency planning, evenif element of contingency planning, even if the final decision was not made until recently. a lot of thought has gone into this decision. briefly onto the daily mirror, the lady is for u—turning, so can she be trusted? it is important to remember that it trusted? it is important to remember thatitis trusted? it is important to remember that it is notjust a question of what she likes in terms of brexit, she is going back to the people yet again, essentially, for a mandate for brexit. i mean, up until now, there were certain factions on the political left asking for a second

referendum. they have essentially got that, and yet they are still not happy. it is very clear that it will be the people who decide, it will be the people's mandate that gives the go—ahead in relation to how to negotiate on brexit. i mean, she cannot be criticised for calling aidan mcardle held election. that is what the micras years. —— for calling a critically held election. theresa may has characterised this as the brexit election, bad news for labour? their brexit policy is all over the shop! theresa may, very much to the detriment of ukip, has made the tory party the party of brexit, taking the harder stance is that people in her party wanted. the lib dems are calling for a second

referendum, and labour is caught in the middle with some northern seats where the population were very much for brexit, and some seats in south london and other areas where the seats were very much pro remain. so they have a difficult tightrope to walk, and it does not make for a very clear manifesto message. very briefly, the financial times, may calls snap election to strengthen hand in brexit talks. that is what this is about. absolutely, and if you are british and working and employed in britain, you want your prime minister to have the strongest hand possible when going into negotiations. you want your team playing their best players, and that is what this election will give her. all right, that was the starter, the main courses at 11:30. now time for a look at the weather with tomasz

schafernaker. a lot of clear weather this evening, temperatures falling rapidly, we are infora temperatures falling rapidly, we are in for a frost across central and southern areas of the uk tonight. last night, scotland was the coldest place, down to minus 6 degrees. tonight it is more central and southern portions of england that will get the nip in the air. temperatures in towns and cities will not be below freezing, more like 4-6 will not be below freezing, more like 4—6 degrees. outside of town, as low as minus four, you can see that across the midlands and even the far south. scotland, that across the midlands and even the farsouth. scotland, cloudier, milder tonight and into tomorrow, one or two light spots of rain, nothing too heavy. the best weather across southern, central and eastern areas. temperatures of 15 and london with sunshine, eastern scotland also not doing too bad at all on wednesday. thursday and friday, little change for most of us, warming up little change for most of us, warming up across little change for most of us, warming up across the south, any

rain will be in the north, but it will be mostly light. this is bbc news. the headlines: the prime minister wants a snap general election to be held on the eighth of june. theresa may says she wants a fresh mandate because divisions in parliament risk hindering brexit negotiations. at this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in westminster. instead there is division. the

country is coming together but westminster is not. labour leader jeremy corbyn welcomes the announcement as a chance to fight for social justice. announcement as a chance to fight for socialjustice. we are going out there to put the case of how this country could be run, how it could