Theresa May has called a snap General Election.
In a Downing Street announcement just now, May says it is with reluctance that she called an election. May claimed that although the ‘The country is coming together, but Westminster is not.’
She challenges the opposition parties to accept an early election, then let the people decide.
Political commentators say that Theresa May is very much going for a ‘vote Conservative for my vision of Brexit’.
Here is the statement (this is not a full release yet):
“Britain is leaving the European Union and there can be no turning back. And as we look to the future, the Government has the right plan for negotiating our new relationship with Europe.
We want a deep and special partnership between a strong and successful European Union and a United Kingdom that is free to chart its own way in the world.
That means we will regain control of our own money, our own laws and our own borders and we will be free to strike trade deals with old friends and new partners all around the world.
This is the right approach, and it is in the national interest. But the other political parties oppose it.
At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division.
The country is coming together, but Westminster is not.
In recent weeks Labour has threatened to vote against the deal we reach with the European Union.
The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business of government to a standstill.
The Scottish National Party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britain’s membership of the European Union.
And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way.
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.
They are wrong.
They under-estimate our determination to get the job done and I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of working people across the country.”