U.K. Prime Minister Calls For Early Election

Mrs May cited the national interest repeatedly, saying it was vital for divisions in the Commons over exiting the European to be settled.

May's Conservatives, who were split on the issue of European Union membership ahead of last year's referendum, are now far ahead of Labour, the main opposition party, according to opinion polls.

This proposal goes against her previous assertions that a general election would not be called until 2020, so what?s changed and how does it affect the investing landscape?

Mrs May said the lack of "unity" in Westminster over the Brexit process was weakening the Government's negotiating hand with Brussels and meant an election was required.

Here, we look back at the times she assured the country a snap election was not required.

The Queen was given advanced warning of the early General Election on Monday after the Prime Minister telephoned her to inform the monarch of the news. May said that, "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" on leaving the EU.

"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 hard stage in the run up to the next General Election", she said. The reasons were simple.

Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, the next general election date was to be in 2020.

They didn't want the unpredictability of an election race. A two-thirds majority of United Kingdom lawmakers is required to dissolve the current parliament and allow new elections to be held. "Whilst I am personally convinced we can make a great success of Brexit, and whilst I am convinced it will be to the advantage of this constituency, it is imperative that we have a strong Prime Minister in place with her own mandate". But the relentless political logic proved too tempting to hold to all of that.

But while the 67-year-old enjoys grassroots support from left-wingers, he is opposed by most of the party's more centrist lawmakers, who say he can not appeal to the middle classes.

"The decision facing the country will be all about leadership".

Tim Farron says the Liberal Democrats will be putting the UK's membership of the European Union single market "front and centre" of their general election campaign.

"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".

In a statement, Mr Nuttall said: "We welcome the opportunity to take Ukip's positive message to the country. We're campaigning to win this election - that's the only question now".

Polls give May's Conservatives a double-digit lead on Labour, which is divided under left-wing leader Corbyn. "Let's stand up for Scotland", Sturgeon said in a tweet after May's announcement.

But the race has tightened in the past two weeks, with a surge by far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon - who wants to renegotiate France's position in the European Union - sparking worries that voters could be left with a choice between the hard-left and hard-right in the second round on May 7.

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

The British pound has risen strongly after Prime Minister Theresa May called for an early general election in June. She also got the full backing of the Cabinet before calling the election.