Tight 50-day timetable will squeeze out legislation and a by-election

MPS will today be asked to vote in favour of a motion calling for a snap election in the first step towards taking the country to the polls.

The motion must secure a two-thirds majority in order to bypass the Fixed Term Parliament Act, introduced under the Conservative-liberal Democrat coalition to ensure political stability by making it harder for prime ministers to call early elections.

Downing Street confirmed that Theresa May spoke to the Queen on Monday to discuss an early election, before she put her decision to her Cabinet yesterday morning. The Prime Minister will still need to visit the Queen, who is staying at Windsor Castle this week, to formally request the dissolution of parliament if the motion receives the necessary support.

MPS will continue sitting until 25 working days before Mrs May’s chosen election date of 8 June, meaning parliament will be prorogued, or suspended, on the 3 May – the day before local elections across the UK.

Ten pieces of legislation being that have already been passed from the House of Commons to the Lords for further scrutiny will need to be watered down and agreed or dropped before parliament is dissolved.

A by-election in Manchester Gorton also set for 4 May will not now take place, as an MP cannot be elected to a parliament that no longer exists.

The deadline for candidates toberegisteredis11may,giving parties just over three weeks to arrange selections in constituencies where they don’t have a sitting MP – although this process has already begun, with hundreds of candidates lined up. Voters will have until 22 May to register.

It could be one or two weeks after election day before parliament returns, and the new government presents its legislative programme.