Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism.

May called the vote in April, when opinion poll ratings for her and her centre-right Conservative party were sky high, presenting herself as the strong leader to take Britain into Brexit talks.

But Islamist attacks in London and Manchester have put her under pressure over her six years as interior minister, while campaign missteps have dented her reputation as a safe pair of hands.

Meanwhile opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an anti-war campaigner deemed unelectable by a majority of his own lawmakers, has run an energetic campaign, promising change and an end to austerity.

While May has been touring target seats around the country, delivering slogan-heavy speeches to small groups of hand-picked activists, Corbyn has drawn large crowds to open-air rallies.

Speaking to reporters on her plane during a final burst of campaigning on Wednesday, May insisted she had no regrets about calling the vote three years early.

&quot;I&#39;ve enjoyed the campaign,&quot; she said. &quot;There is a very clear choice for people when they come to vote.&quot;

Asked what would constitute success, the 60-year-old vicar&#39;s daughter said: &quot;I never predict election results.&quot;

Corbyn, a 68-year-old leftwinger who has never held ministerial office and defied the odds to win the Labour leadership two years ago, urged supporters in Glasgow to think big.

&quot;Wouldn&#39;t it be great if on Friday we woke up to... a Labour government that will be a government for all of our communities across the whole of the country,&quot; he said.

&#39;Little confidence&#39;&nbsp;

It is the third time Britain has gone to the polls in two years, twice for a general election and once for the EU referendum, and voter fatigue appeared to be an issue among the early voters.

&quot;I don&#39;t think it has really been a campaign, we don&#39;t know anything about what they are going to do about Brexit, it&#39;s been pointless really,&quot; said Joe Kerney, 53, at a polling station in Hackney, east London.

&quot;I have little confidence in anybody,&quot; added voter Simon Bolton, 41. &quot;I think we lack quality in terms of who we can choose, it is very limited.&quot;

The election is May&#39;s first since taking office after Britons voted by 52 percent to leave the European Union.

May has accused Corbyn of being unprepared for negotiations set to begin on June 19, and unwilling to curb mass migration -- a key driver of the Brexit vote.

But her government&#39;s record on cutting funding for health and education have also featured strongly in the campaign, to the benefit of Labour.

The Conservatives were also damaged by a manifesto plan for elderly care that would see some pay more.

Then came the suicide bombing at a Manchester concert on May 22, which killed 22 people including seven children, followed by Saturday&#39;s knife and van attack in London, which left eight dead.

Campaigning was twice suspended in the aftermath of the attacks, which May blamed on &quot;evil&quot; Islamist ideology.

The Conservatives have always been strong on defence and security, and they have sought to exploit Corbyn&#39;s anti-nuclear stance and his alleged past support for Irish paramilitaries.

But May also faced uncomfortable questions over cuts to police numbers during her time as interior minister, amid accusations that the attackers in Manchester and London Bridge had slipped through the intelligence net.

Security tightened&nbsp;

Security on voting day was reviewed following the London attack, with the city&#39;s Metropolitan Police force implementing a &quot;specialist and highly flexible operation&quot; which it said could be deployed as needed.

Polling stations, many located in schools and community centres, opened at 7:00am (0600 GMT) and will close at 10:00pm, with 49.6 million registered voters electing a total of 650 MPs to parliament.

Overall turnout in the 2015 general election was 66.4 percent.

An exit poll will give an indication of the outcome, although final results will not emerge until early Friday.

As the Conservatives and Labour trade blows, the smaller pro-European Liberal Democrats and the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) have failed to gain much traction.

Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism.

Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism. May called the vote in April, when opinion poll ratings for her and her centre-right Conservative party were sky high, presenting herself as the strong leader to take Britain into Brexit talks. But Islamist attacks in London and Manchester have put her under pressure over her six years as interior minister, while campaign missteps have dented her reputation as a safe pair of hands. Meanwhile opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an anti-war campaigner deemed unelectable by a majority of his own lawmakers, has run an energetic campaign, promising change and an end to austerity. While May has been touring target seats around the country, delivering slogan-heavy speeches to small groups of hand-picked activists, Corbyn has drawn large crowds to open-air rallies. Speaking to reporters on her plane during a final burst of campaigning on Wednesday, May insisted she had no regrets about calling the vote three years early. "I've enjoyed the campaign," she said. "There is a very clear choice for people when they come to vote." Asked what would constitute success, the 60-year-old vicar's daughter said: "I never predict election results." Corbyn, a 68-year-old leftwinger who has never held ministerial office and defied the odds to win the Labour leadership two years ago, urged supporters in Glasgow to think big. "Wouldn't it be great if on Friday we woke up to... a Labour government that will be a government for all of our communities across the whole of the country," he said. 'Little confidence' It is the third time Britain has gone to the polls in two years, twice for a general election and once for the EU referendum, and voter fatigue appeared to be an issue among the early voters. "I don't think it has really been a campaign, we don't know anything about what they are going to do about Brexit, it's been pointless really," said Joe Kerney, 53, at a polling station in Hackney, east London. "I have little confidence in anybody," added voter Simon Bolton, 41. "I think we lack quality in terms of who we can choose, it is very limited." The election is May's first since taking office after Britons voted by 52 percent to leave the European Union. May has accused Corbyn of being unprepared for negotiations set to begin on June 19, and unwilling to curb mass migration -- a key driver of the Brexit vote. But her government's record on cutting funding for health and education have also featured strongly in the campaign, to the benefit of Labour. The Conservatives were also damaged by a manifesto plan for elderly care that would see some pay more. Then came the suicide bombing at a Manchester concert on May 22, which killed 22 people including seven children, followed by Saturday's knife and van attack in London, which left eight dead. Campaigning was twice suspended in the aftermath of the attacks, which May blamed on "evil" Islamist ideology. The Conservatives have always been strong on defence and security, and they have sought to exploit Corbyn's anti-nuclear stance and his alleged past support for Irish paramilitaries. But May also faced uncomfortable questions over cuts to police numbers during her time as interior minister, amid accusations that the attackers in Manchester and London Bridge had slipped through the intelligence net. Security tightened Security on voting day was reviewed following the London attack, with the city's Metropolitan Police force implementing a "specialist and highly flexible operation" which it said could be deployed as needed. Polling stations, many located in schools and community centres, opened at 7:00am (0600 GMT) and will close at 10:00pm, with 49.6 million registered voters electing a total of 650 MPs to parliament. Overall turnout in the 2015 general election was 66.4 percent. An exit poll will give an indication of the outcome, although final results will not emerge until early Friday. As the Conservatives and Labour trade blows, the smaller pro-European Liberal Democrats and the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) have failed to gain much traction.

In shadow of terror, Britons vote in key election

UK PM Theresa May looks set to win the general elections with a thumping majority over rival Jeremy Corbyn, a final poll for <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-poll-latest-tory-win-results-corbyn-theresa-may-a7777781.html">The Independent</a> reveals.

Projections by the ComRes poll point to a 74-seat majority for the May-led Conservatives, the largest they have secured since the days of Margaret Thatcher.&nbsp;

Concerns that the &quot;country would be unable to pay for everything that the new government wants to do&quot; are the reason for Corbyn&#39;s unpopularity on that parameter, with 62% people voting against Corbyn and 38% voting against Theresa May.

Forty five per cent of the people voted they would be worried about national security if Theresa May won, while 55 per cent people said they would be worried about security&nbsp;under Corbyn&#39;s leadership.

Political forecasting website Electoral Calculus predicts that May is likely to win 362 seats in the House of Commons, 31 more than her party currently enjoys. The Labour would be left with 212, 20 fewer than they have now. The website also predicts that the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party would lose seats.&nbsp;

The Tories are tipped to win 44 per cent of the vote, Labour 34 per cent, the Liberal Democrats 9 per cent, Ukip 5 per cent and the Greens on 2 per cent, the ComRes poll predicts. 
 
(WION)

 
&nbsp;

Projections by the ComRes poll point to a 74-seat majority for the May-led Conservatives, the largest they have secured since the days of Margaret Thatcher

UK PM Theresa May looks set to win the general elections with a thumping majority over rival Jeremy Corbyn, a final poll for The Independent reveals. Projections by the ComRes poll point to a 74-seat majority for the May-led Conservatives, the largest they have secured since the days of Margaret Thatcher. Concerns that the "country would be unable to pay for everything that the new government wants to do" are the reason for Corbyn's unpopularity on that parameter, with 62% people voting against Corbyn and 38% voting against Theresa May. Forty five per cent of the people voted they would be worried about national security if Theresa May won, while 55 per cent people said they would be worried about security under Corbyn's leadership. Political forecasting website Electoral Calculus predicts that May is likely to win 362 seats in the House of Commons, 31 more than her party currently enjoys. The Labour would be left with 212, 20 fewer than they have now. The website also predicts that the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party would lose seats. The Tories are tipped to win 44 per cent of the vote, Labour 34 per cent, the Liberal Democrats 9 per cent, Ukip 5 per cent and the Greens on 2 per cent, the ComRes poll predicts. (WION)

Theresa May poised to win biggest Tory landslide since Thatcher: Report

Although Britain&#39;s economic growth is ticking along in the run-up to the general election, flat wages and the government&#39;s austerity programme continue to bite and cause anger among those left behind.

A world away from the glistening skyscrapers of London&#39;s City finance district, normal life for some resembles that depicted in last year&#39;s Cannes winner &quot;I, Daniel Blake&quot;.

The British film&#39;s protagonists, in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, battle with the impact of cuts to social services in place since 2010, struggling to make ends meet and relying on food banks.

Widening living standards is a hot topic in the looming general election due June 8, and one that analysts say played a crucial role in last year&#39;s shock referendum vote in favour of the country&#39;s exit from the European Union.

The Brexit verdict has been framed by some commentators as a reflection of the social divide between the haves and the have-nots in one of the world&#39;s richest economies.

Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, who called the general election to strengthen her hand in the coming Brexit talks, claims she wants a society that works for everyone, albeit one that is not free of austerity nor social spending cuts.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party and who has gained ground in recent opinion polls, argues that the yawning gap between rich and poor needs to be addressed.

While official statistics show that Britain&#39;s unemployment rate sits at a 42-year low of 4.6 per cent, many workers find themselves on low wages and short-term contracts.

Median household income stood at &pound;26,300 (30,100 euros, $33,700) in the year to March 2016, just four per cent above the pre-financial crisis value of ten years ago.

Statistics also show that income inequality in Britain has actually declined slightly since the 2008 crisis, reversing a sharp increase in previous decades, as higher-income households saw their earnings fall more in real terms.

However, the statistics mask the disproportionate effect of income stagnation on the lowest earners, with the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, warning that inequality in living standards could reach levels not seen for 30 years.

Meanwhile the Equality Trust states that in 2017, the country&#39;s 1,000 richest people will together own more wealth than that held by 40 per cent of the poorest households combined.

Small-jobs economy

&quot;Record numbers of people visited food banks last year, millions are locked out of a decent home, and two-thirds of children in poverty are in working households,&quot; Equality Trust&#39;s executive director Wanda Wyporska said this month.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 6.5 per cent of the British population, or 3.9 million people, was living in poverty in 2014, the most recent year for which data are available.

To survive, many Britons, especially the youngest, have to take on more than one low-paid and often low-skilled job at a time, scrambling in what is often called the &quot;gig economy&quot;.

At the same time, the number of so-called &quot;zero hour&quot; contracts is breaking records at 900,000 jobs. Such positions guarantee neither a number of hours to be worked nor a fixed rate of pay.

As a direct consequence, the TUC union calculates that over the last seven years, UK wages have not kept pace with inflation -- the longest period of time since the 1870s.

&quot;British workers have endured the longest pay squeeze since Victorian times,&quot; said TUC General Secretary Frances O&#39;Grady. &quot;And now even more pain is on the horizon.&quot;

Ahead of the election, May has vowed to improve workers&#39; rights, cap energy prices, lift minimum earnings and raise the threshold at which income tax is paid.

But she has been forced to reverse a manifesto commitment on capping social care costs following heavy public criticism and opposition from within her Conservative Party.

Corbyn, meanwhile, has pledged to hike taxes on the well-off, renationalise key industries like railways, scrap university tuition fees and pump cash into the state-run National Health Service.

His critics say Labour has not properly assessed the cost of those proposals.

(AFP)

Widening living standards is a hot topic in the general election due to be held on June 8

Although Britain's economic growth is ticking along in the run-up to the general election, flat wages and the government's austerity programme continue to bite and cause anger among those left behind. A world away from the glistening skyscrapers of London's City finance district, normal life for some resembles that depicted in last year's Cannes winner "I, Daniel Blake". The British film's protagonists, in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, battle with the impact of cuts to social services in place since 2010, struggling to make ends meet and relying on food banks. Widening living standards is a hot topic in the looming general election due June 8, and one that analysts say played a crucial role in last year's shock referendum vote in favour of the country's exit from the European Union. The Brexit verdict has been framed by some commentators as a reflection of the social divide between the haves and the have-nots in one of the world's richest economies. Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, who called the general election to strengthen her hand in the coming Brexit talks, claims she wants a society that works for everyone, albeit one that is not free of austerity nor social spending cuts. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party and who has gained ground in recent opinion polls, argues that the yawning gap between rich and poor needs to be addressed. While official statistics show that Britain's unemployment rate sits at a 42-year low of 4.6 per cent, many workers find themselves on low wages and short-term contracts. Median household income stood at £26,300 (30,100 euros, $33,700) in the year to March 2016, just four per cent above the pre-financial crisis value of ten years ago. Statistics also show that income inequality in Britain has actually declined slightly since the 2008 crisis, reversing a sharp increase in previous decades, as higher-income households saw their earnings fall more in real terms. However, the statistics mask the disproportionate effect of income stagnation on the lowest earners, with the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, warning that inequality in living standards could reach levels not seen for 30 years. Meanwhile the Equality Trust states that in 2017, the country's 1,000 richest people will together own more wealth than that held by 40 per cent of the poorest households combined. Small-jobs economy "Record numbers of people visited food banks last year, millions are locked out of a decent home, and two-thirds of children in poverty are in working households," Equality Trust's executive director Wanda Wyporska said this month. According to the Office for National Statistics, 6.5 per cent of the British population, or 3.9 million people, was living in poverty in 2014, the most recent year for which data are available. To survive, many Britons, especially the youngest, have to take on more than one low-paid and often low-skilled job at a time, scrambling in what is often called the "gig economy". At the same time, the number of so-called "zero hour" contracts is breaking records at 900,000 jobs. Such positions guarantee neither a number of hours to be worked nor a fixed rate of pay. As a direct consequence, the TUC union calculates that over the last seven years, UK wages have not kept pace with inflation -- the longest period of time since the 1870s. "British workers have endured the longest pay squeeze since Victorian times," said TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady. "And now even more pain is on the horizon." Ahead of the election, May has vowed to improve workers' rights, cap energy prices, lift minimum earnings and raise the threshold at which income tax is paid. But she has been forced to reverse a manifesto commitment on capping social care costs following heavy public criticism and opposition from within her Conservative Party. Corbyn, meanwhile, has pledged to hike taxes on the well-off, renationalise key industries like railways, scrap university tuition fees and pump cash into the state-run National Health Service. His critics say Labour has not properly assessed the cost of those proposals. (AFP)

Gulf in living standards at heart of UK election battle

Theresa May faces her first nationwide electoral test as Britain&#39;s prime minister on Thursday, as she toughens her Brexit position just weeks before a crucial general election.

Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May&#39;s Conservatives, which opinion polls suggest are on course for a thumping victory in the June 8 parliamentary elections.

Nearly 5,000 local authority seats are being contested across England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday along with eight metropolitan mayoralties.

Experts warn against using the results to predict the outcome of next month&#39;s vote, noting that such elections are normally fought on local issues, and are often used to punish the sitting government.

But the proximity of the general election and the political upheaval caused by last year&#39;s shock Brexit referendum has created a unique context.

&#39;Threats against Britain&#39;

May invoked Britain&#39;s formal notice of its intention to leave the European Union on March 29.

Two weeks ago the prime minister called the surprise June general election to strengthen her mandate as she heads into EU negotiations, and she is well aware Brexit will be on many voters&#39; minds on Thursday.

Speaking outside her Downing Street office a day before the local elections, May took aim at Brussels for making &quot;threats against Britain&quot; over the divorce proceedings.

The two sides have clashed over the costs of the exit, prompting May to accuse the EU of toughening its stance in statements &quot;deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election&quot; in June.

Opposition leaders have claimed the prime minister is using the EU talks as a distraction from other issues, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing May of &quot;playing party games with Brexit&quot;.

Labour sits more than 20 points behind the Conservatives, with the local polls expected to indicate the challenge facing Corbyn&#39;s party ahead of the general election.

&quot;They will provide some vital information about the pattern of support and where parties are performing particularly strongly or weakly,&quot; said Anthony Wells of polling company YouGov.

Local elections spillover

&quot;The Conservatives are doing very well and that is almost certainly likely to have some spillover into the local elections,&quot; said Roger Scully, a politics professor at the University of Cardiff.

But drawing a national picture from Thursday&#39;s vote will be made harder by the absence of council elections in England&#39;s biggest cities, where Labour is traditionally strong.

&quot;Let&#39;s see what happens. That might be an interesting measure of how things are going more generally, and how accurate the polling is,&quot; a senior Labour source said.

The smaller, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, who were almost wiped out in the 2015 general election after entering a coalition government with the Conservatives, are hoping to pick up some momentum for the June vote with gains on Thursday.

By contrast, the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party is predicted to lose most of its council seats as it struggles to define itself now that its principal goal -- Brexit -- is on its way to being achieved.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, the local elections will indicate the strength of the ruling Scottish National Party, which has used the Brexit vote to call for a new referendum on independence.

(AFP)

Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May's Conservatives

Theresa May faces her first nationwide electoral test as Britain's prime minister on Thursday, as she toughens her Brexit position just weeks before a crucial general election. Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May's Conservatives, which opinion polls suggest are on course for a thumping victory in the June 8 parliamentary elections. Nearly 5,000 local authority seats are being contested across England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday along with eight metropolitan mayoralties. Experts warn against using the results to predict the outcome of next month's vote, noting that such elections are normally fought on local issues, and are often used to punish the sitting government. But the proximity of the general election and the political upheaval caused by last year's shock Brexit referendum has created a unique context. 'Threats against Britain' May invoked Britain's formal notice of its intention to leave the European Union on March 29. Two weeks ago the prime minister called the surprise June general election to strengthen her mandate as she heads into EU negotiations, and she is well aware Brexit will be on many voters' minds on Thursday. Speaking outside her Downing Street office a day before the local elections, May took aim at Brussels for making "threats against Britain" over the divorce proceedings. The two sides have clashed over the costs of the exit, prompting May to accuse the EU of toughening its stance in statements "deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election" in June. Opposition leaders have claimed the prime minister is using the EU talks as a distraction from other issues, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing May of "playing party games with Brexit". Labour sits more than 20 points behind the Conservatives, with the local polls expected to indicate the challenge facing Corbyn's party ahead of the general election. "They will provide some vital information about the pattern of support and where parties are performing particularly strongly or weakly," said Anthony Wells of polling company YouGov. Local elections spillover "The Conservatives are doing very well and that is almost certainly likely to have some spillover into the local elections," said Roger Scully, a politics professor at the University of Cardiff. But drawing a national picture from Thursday's vote will be made harder by the absence of council elections in England's biggest cities, where Labour is traditionally strong. "Let's see what happens. That might be an interesting measure of how things are going more generally, and how accurate the polling is," a senior Labour source said. The smaller, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, who were almost wiped out in the 2015 general election after entering a coalition government with the Conservatives, are hoping to pick up some momentum for the June vote with gains on Thursday. By contrast, the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party is predicted to lose most of its council seats as it struggles to define itself now that its principal goal -- Brexit -- is on its way to being achieved. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the local elections will indicate the strength of the ruling Scottish National Party, which has used the Brexit vote to call for a new referendum on independence. (AFP)

May takes tough Brexit stance as UK holds local elections

British counter-terrorism police used CS gas to storm a London home today and gathered &quot;absolutely crucial&quot; intelligence while preventing an attack, former British police officer said today.

The officers raided a house in north London yesterday evening(April 27) shooting a woman in her 20s. The police haven&#39;t released any detail about the woman. Six people were arrested in the operation, the woman is under observation in a hospital.

The former head of Britain&#39;s national counter-terrorism security office Chris Phillips said: &quot;This is the way we prevent terrorism,&quot; adding that the raid had to be conducted with speed and have &quot;shock value&quot;.

The news comes even as a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/man-arrested-near-uk-parliament-for-preparing-terror-attack-15001">man was arrested by London&#39;s metropolitan police who was carrying knives&nbsp;near Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s</a> office in Westminster yesterday evening(April 27).&nbsp;

&quot;Knives have been recovered from him,&quot; Scotland Yard police said in a statement, adding that he was being detained under terror laws.

A Western security source told Reuters the man, from London, was on the radar of counter-terrorism officers and the domestic intelligence agency MI5 before his arrest.

Another source familiar with the investigation said the suspect might have had contacts with militants outside Britain and travelled to meet them, but it was not believed he had been in contact with Islamic State militants.

Britain is on&nbsp;alert with high-intensity&nbsp;elections slated to be in June which would naturally result in large gatherings and election meetings being held across the UK, British counter-terrorism unit is leaving no stone unturned in its bid keep things under control.

Since August 2014, Britain has been on its second-highest alert level of &quot;severe&quot;, meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely. Senior officers said the security services had thwarted 13 terrorism attempts in the last four years shortly before the deadly Westminster Bridge incident.&nbsp;

(WION with Reuters inputs)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

British counter-terrorism police used CS gas to storm a London home today

British counter-terrorism police used CS gas to storm a London home today and gathered "absolutely crucial" intelligence while preventing an attack, former British police officer said today. The officers raided a house in north London yesterday evening(April 27) shooting a woman in her 20s. The police haven't released any detail about the woman. Six people were arrested in the operation, the woman is under observation in a hospital. The former head of Britain's national counter-terrorism security office Chris Phillips said: "This is the way we prevent terrorism," adding that the raid had to be conducted with speed and have "shock value". The news comes even as a man was arrested by London's metropolitan police who was carrying knives near Prime Minister Theresa May's office in Westminster yesterday evening(April 27). "Knives have been recovered from him," Scotland Yard police said in a statement, adding that he was being detained under terror laws. A Western security source told Reuters the man, from London, was on the radar of counter-terrorism officers and the domestic intelligence agency MI5 before his arrest. Another source familiar with the investigation said the suspect might have had contacts with militants outside Britain and travelled to meet them, but it was not believed he had been in contact with Islamic State militants. Britain is on alert with high-intensity elections slated to be in June which would naturally result in large gatherings and election meetings being held across the UK, British counter-terrorism unit is leaving no stone unturned in its bid keep things under control. Since August 2014, Britain has been on its second-highest alert level of "severe", meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely. Senior officers said the security services had thwarted 13 terrorism attempts in the last four years shortly before the deadly Westminster Bridge incident. (WION with Reuters inputs)

British counter-terrorism officers storm London home, 1 woman injured in shooting

British Prime Minister Theresa May called on Tuesday for an early election on June 8, saying it was the only way to guarantee political stability for years ahead as Britain negotiates its way out of the European Union. 
&nbsp;

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Hearing May will announce General Election for June 8th - one source not confirmed
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The pound strengthened by almost half a cent against the dollar as May spoke, reflecting investor relief that earlier rumours of a shock resignation did not transpire. Ten-year British government bond yields rose slightly.

&quot;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,&quot; May said in a surprise statement outside her Downing Street office.

&quot;It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond.&quot;

She said she would introduce legislation on Wednesday to pave the way for the early election. Under current legislation, the next election was not scheduled to take place until 2020.

Despite repeatedly rejecting calls from within her Conservative party for an early vote, May has now decided to take advantage of her commanding lead over the main opposition Labour Party in opinion polls.

The margin reached 20 points in the latest polls.

May accused her domestic political opponents of &quot;game-playing&quot; over Brexit.

May&#39;s Conservatives, who were split on the issue of European Union membership ahead of last year&#39;s referendum, are currently far ahead of Labour, the main opposition party, according to opinion polls.

She said this was a one-off chance to get an election done while the EU was agreeing on its negotiating position.&nbsp;The other 27 EU leaders are set to hold a summit on April 29 where they will agree on a strategy for negotiating Britain&#39;s expected departure in 2019.

The negotiations themselves are not expected to start until May or June at the earliest -- and Brussels said this timetable would not change.

May said the government had the right plan to negotiate Brexit, and there would be no change of course.

(Agencies)

May said it was the only way to guarantee political stability for years ahead as Britain negotiates its way out of the European Union

British Prime Minister Theresa May called on Tuesday for an early election on June 8, saying it was the only way to guarantee political stability for years ahead as Britain negotiates its way out of the European Union. Hearing May will announce General Election for June 8th - one source not confirmed — Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) April 18, 2017 × The pound strengthened by almost half a cent against the dollar as May spoke, reflecting investor relief that earlier rumours of a shock resignation did not transpire. Ten-year British government bond yields rose slightly. "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," May said in a surprise statement outside her Downing Street office. "It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond." She said she would introduce legislation on Wednesday to pave the way for the early election. Under current legislation, the next election was not scheduled to take place until 2020. Despite repeatedly rejecting calls from within her Conservative party for an early vote, May has now decided to take advantage of her commanding lead over the main opposition Labour Party in opinion polls. The margin reached 20 points in the latest polls. May accused her domestic political opponents of "game-playing" over Brexit. May's Conservatives, who were split on the issue of European Union membership ahead of last year's referendum, are currently far ahead of Labour, the main opposition party, according to opinion polls. She said this was a one-off chance to get an election done while the EU was agreeing on its negotiating position. The other 27 EU leaders are set to hold a summit on April 29 where they will agree on a strategy for negotiating Britain's expected departure in 2019. The negotiations themselves are not expected to start until May or June at the earliest -- and Brussels said this timetable would not change. May said the government had the right plan to negotiate Brexit, and there would be no change of course. (Agencies)

British PM Theresa May confirms early UK election on June 8

British Conservative lawmaker Stephen Crabb pulled out of the race to be the next prime minister on Tuesday and endorsed front-runner Theresa May as the list of candidates was reduced to three.

Crabb, 43, withdrew after he came fourth out of five in the first round of voting, securing support from just 34 out of 330 Conservative lawmakers.

Interior minister Theresa May secured 165 votes, ahead of Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove. Liam Fox, who finished last, was eliminated from the contest earlier in the evening.

&quot;I&#39;ll be lending my wholehearted support to Theresa May,&quot; Crabb said, describing her as the only candidate who could unite the party and lead a strong and cohesive government. 
 
(Reuters)

He secured support from 34 out of 330 Conservative lawmakers. The list for UK prime ministerial candidates has now been reduced to three

British Conservative lawmaker Stephen Crabb pulled out of the race to be the next prime minister on Tuesday and endorsed front-runner Theresa May as the list of candidates was reduced to three. Crabb, 43, withdrew after he came fourth out of five in the first round of voting, securing support from just 34 out of 330 Conservative lawmakers. Interior minister Theresa May secured 165 votes, ahead of Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove. Liam Fox, who finished last, was eliminated from the contest earlier in the evening. "I'll be lending my wholehearted support to Theresa May," Crabb said, describing her as the only candidate who could unite the party and lead a strong and cohesive government. (Reuters)

UK PM candidate Stephen Crabb withdraws from race, endorses May

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