May blames 'game-playing' for UK election call

Paul Ray - who also stood in 2015 - has been confirmed as the party's representative once again after Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap election earlier today (April 18).

The White House says May telephoned Trump regarding her plans and that Trump wished the British people the best of luck in the June 8 vote.

Even seasoned political commentators were taken by surprise at the announcement which came completely out of the blue.

Bale said a bigger majority would give May a new batch of loyal Conservative lawmakers and leave her less at the mercy of euroskeptics in her party "who otherwise could have made negotiations much more hard".

Prime Minister Theresa May last month formally triggered Britain's exit talks, nine months after the country voted in a referendum to leave the EU.

After a short "wash-up" period to clear up outstanding legislation, Parliament will be dissolved on Wednesday May 3, allowing 25 working days before voters go to the polling booths on June 8.

The Daily Mirror, meanwhile, picks up on Mrs May repeated claims that she would not be calling an early election with its headline "The lady is for U-turning".

The FTSE 100 dropped 1.6 percent to its lowest in more than seven weeks as the sterling inched higher, further weighing on the index's stocks, most of which get earnings in foreign currencies. She is hoping to win a stronger position in the House of Commons, where her Conservative Party has a small majority.

Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, said: "For investors it adds another layer of complexity to an already uncertain picture for United Kingdom and European assets". Because what they are doing jeopardises the work we must do to prepare for Brexit at home and it weakens the government's negotiating position in Europe, " she said.

May said in her announcement that "there can be no turning back" on Britain's decision to leave the European Union, something she herself had campaigned against before last year's referendum.

The opposition has welcomed May's announcement with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stating that the party "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 [National Health Service]". The ICM/Guardian poll of 1,000 people showed Conservative support at 46 percent, with Labour on 25 percent and the Liberal Democrats on 11 percent.

May said the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to "hold this election and seek your support for the decisions I must take".

Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, the next general election date was to be in 2020. This is three years ahead of scheduled elections, which were due in May 2020.

"The Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit Government", he said.

But Sean Kemp, a former Downing Street aide to Mr Clegg, said Mrs May was wise to refuse to debate the Lib Dem leader.

Much will be written about her motivations for the U-turn, the change of heart that led her to this point.

May will argue that a strong Tory victory is needed to give her a mandate for Brexit talks.

The inevitable political divisions this would cause in Westminster and elsewhere would risk our ability to make a success of Brexit.

In an unusual move, Number 10 did not announce what subject she would address but statements by the Prime Minister in the street are usually reserved for big announcements. And it would consolidate her own position as prime minister, after she succeeded David Cameron in the wake of the Brexit referendum on June 23 past year.

Her spokesman said she had the backing of her top team of ministers and had informed Queen Elizabeth of her plans on Monday.