British Prime Minister Theresa May has made an call for an early general election to be held on June 8, in a surprise announcement on Tuesday as Britain prepares for delicate negotiations on leaving the European Union.
According to Aljazeera May said she will go to parliament on Wednesday to seek approval for the snap vote.
"We need a general election and we need one now. We have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done ... before the detailed talks begin," said May, speaking in front of 10 Downing Street.
"I have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election," she said.
The leader of the Conservative party added that the UK needed an election because other parties are opposed to her Brexit plans to leave the EU.
May became prime minister without winning an election in July last year following the resignation of David Cameron after millions of Britons went against his advice and voted to leave the EU. May had also backed the Remain camp in the June 23 referendum, but kept a low profile throughout a polarising campaign.
She had previously said there would be no early election under her leadership.
Al Jazeera's Duncan Golestani, reporting from London, said: "May has rolled the dice, she is taking her gamble. She wants to increase her majority and her mandate to lead the country through Brexit."
Under Britain's fixed-term parliament act, which sets the date for the next election for 2020, May must win the approval of two-thirds of parliament before proceeding with an earlier election.
"She doesn't have that majority within her own parliamentarians, so she'll have to challenge the opposition members to say 'you vote for this or you're not supporting us and you're not supporting Brexit'," said Golestani.
According to Aljazeera May said she will go to parliament on Wednesday to seek approval for the snap vote.
"We need a general election and we need one now. We have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done ... before the detailed talks begin," said May, speaking in front of 10 Downing Street.
"I have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election," she said.
The leader of the Conservative party added that the UK needed an election because other parties are opposed to her Brexit plans to leave the EU.
May became prime minister without winning an election in July last year following the resignation of David Cameron after millions of Britons went against his advice and voted to leave the EU. May had also backed the Remain camp in the June 23 referendum, but kept a low profile throughout a polarising campaign.
She had previously said there would be no early election under her leadership.
Al Jazeera's Duncan Golestani, reporting from London, said: "May has rolled the dice, she is taking her gamble. She wants to increase her majority and her mandate to lead the country through Brexit."
Under Britain's fixed-term parliament act, which sets the date for the next election for 2020, May must win the approval of two-thirds of parliament before proceeding with an earlier election.
"She doesn't have that majority within her own parliamentarians, so she'll have to challenge the opposition members to say 'you vote for this or you're not supporting us and you're not supporting Brexit'," said Golestani.
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