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Updated 3.20pm
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has called for a general election to take place in the UK on 8 June.
May just made the surprise announcement at Downing Street, having previously ruled out a snap election.
She said she reached the decision “only recently and reluctantly” as it is necessary “to see us through Brexit and beyond”.
“The only way to guarantee stability and certainty for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions I must take,” May said.
MPs will vote on the motion tomorrow. It will need a two-thirds majority to pass, a likely scenario given the Conservative majority in parliament.
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May stated: “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.
She said other political parties, including Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party (SNP), oppose the government’s approach.
“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 underestimate 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.”
General elections are usually held in the UK every five years, with the next one being due in 2020.
May’s predecessor David Cameron stepped down as prime minister after Britain voted to leave the European Union last June.
Surprise
The press conference was only flagged this morning and came as a surprise to many.
However, others expected an election to be called in an attempt to solidify the position of May’s Conservative Party ahead of Brexit negotiations.
Opinion polls put the Tories well ahead of its main rival Labour, which has been dogged by infighting since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as party leader.
May said the election will be “a choice between strong and stable leadership in the national interest with me as your leader” or a “weak and unstable” coalition of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Corbyn welcomed the announcement, saying Labour will back the vote in the House of Commons tomorrow
He said his party will offer 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”.
“In the last couple of weeks, Labour has set out policies that offer a clear and credible choice for the country. We look forward to showing how Labour will stand up for the people of Britain.”
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said the election is the public’s “chance to change the direction of our country”.
If you want to avoid a disastrous hard Brexit. If you want to keep Britain in the single market. If you want a Britain that is open, tolerant and united, this is your chance.
“Only the Liberal Democrats can prevent a Conservative majority.”
Following the announcement, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that the Conservative Party see an opportunity to “force through a hard Brexit and impose deeper cuts”.
Sturgeon has called for a second independence referendum to be held in Scotland on foot of the Brexit vote.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said the election will be “an opportunity for unionists to unite”. Meanwhile, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said:
Sinn Féin is ready to contest this election and it will be an opportunity for voters to oppose Brexit and reject Tory cuts and austerity.
Speaking after a phone call with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “This announcement does not change the government’s commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome for Ireland in the upcoming Brexit negotiations where we will negotiate from a position of strength as one of the EU 27.
I am of course concerned about the impact of a UK General Election on the ongoing talks’ process in Northern Ireland and I conveyed these when I spoke with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland earlier today.
Flanagan added that Brokenshire “told me that his intention, announced last week, remains unchanged – namely, to bring forward legislation at Westminster in the coming days which will include a provision to allow a Northern Ireland Executive to be formed in early May”.
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Energy drinks are muck anyway but when you see 6 & 7 year olds bringing lucozade isotonic to school because they are not allowed fizzy drinks you hav3 to wonder about the parent’s ability to parent. A strong direct and hard hitting ad campain is required.
It’s not rocket science ! Some parents need a good dose of cop on these days !
Don’t think isotonic drinks are what’s being talked about here, they’re not loaded with caffiene.
Lucozade is recommended by my daughters diabetic team to treat her low blood glucose. I hope they account for those children who need it for treatment.
Aspartame is a lab built sugar substitute that wasn’t tested correctly and release prematurely by the FDA in the states.
Have (WHO) done an independent research into aspartame, have a suspicion that they are in the pocket of big business anyway.
Google candarell, in relation to its licence granting by the FDA, it set standards that are flawed and still used today.
Aspartame has been deemed safe for human consumption by over 100 regulatory agencies in their respective countries, including the US Food and Drug Administration, UK Food Standards Agency, the European Food Safety Authority and Health Canada. It is safe but has been subject of internet hoaxes. I know I’m going to get a lot of abuse for referencing Wikipedia, but if you check the 85 references at the bottom of the page, you’ll see it’s based on science not fiction, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame
Red bull doesn’t literally give you wings.
Thanks for letting me know. I was just on my way to sue them
Good for lithuania !
All CSDs are muck with no nutritional value. But remember everything in moderation.
More laws! Justifies these idiots salaries.
I think they should put an age limit on selling them was in Glasgow last year and they have an age limit on selling Big Mac you have to be over 16 why not do something like that here
Just drink water ffs!
Blame whatever gets the gov of the hook with their incessant hardship policies on the people of the country
So it’s not the excessive alcohol or drugs which leads to the health problems or suicides! It’s the energy drinks!
Wow, our capacity to ignore the obvious is just startling.
I get your point,but when someone commits suicide it’s not quite clear cut to the reasons why,every avenue should be explored.
Surely making someone pre-disposed to suicide a criminal would make it worse?
And drugs and alcohol making people suicidal is questionable, these people tend to have underlying issues.
That’s all very well but medium rare striploin with sautéed onion, pepper sauce and chunky chips. Mmmmmm.
Sorry. Posted in wrong story. I’m an idiot.
If safefood want to do something, they should demand that ALL ingredients are listed on products and not hidden by converting to energy values.
No don’t ban them. Why make laws to cover up bad parenting.
have your say