SNAP CACKLE & POP!
¬ 50-day sprint to election on June 8 ¬ New war of words over our future ¬ Fears Labour Party could implode
THERESA May called a snap General Election yesterday in a bold bid to strengthen her hand ahead of Brexit talks with the EU.
She is pinning her hopes on a “blue wash” Tory landslide victory after a 50-day sprint to the polls on June 8.
But as the campaign got under way, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party seemed on the verge of collapse.
BRITAIN is heading for a “Brexit bluewash” after Theresa May called a shock snap election.
The Prime Minister stunned opponents yesterday by announcing the June 8 poll.
She is confident she can crush her rivals with a huge landslide victory and fill the Commons with “true blue” Tory backers.
It would give her a massive mandate for exiting the EU ahead of Brexit negotiations this summer.
Only a tiny inner circle – including the Queen – were told of the secret election plans before the PM’s shock announcement yesterday morning.
Mrs May launched blistering attacks on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the “unelected” Lords and Scottish Nationalist Party leader Nicola Sturgeon.
She accused them of trying to wreck the Brexit process by fighting to delay every action she made. And she vowed to “get the job done” after an expected landslide win in seven weeks’ time.
Mrs May said: “I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of working people across the country.
Demands
“What they are doing jeopardises the work we must do to prepare for Brexit at home and it weakens the Government’s negotiating position in Europe.
“At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division.”
The PM had strongly denied she was plotting an election only last month. She said she had “reluctantly” changed her mind on an Easter walking holiday in Wales.
Her decision came after SNP demands for a new independence vote and Labour and Lords’ threats to delay Brexit negotiations.
Mrs May enters the election runin with the biggest lead of any Tory leader in modern history.
The Conservatives are 21 points ahead in the opinion polls and look likely to win 395 seats with a comfortable majority of 140, based on current polling.
That would lead to a “blue wash” in the Commons, with Labour losing huge swathes of its heartland. Up to 47 Labour seats are at risk, experts said last night.
The pound soared following the election announcement.
Former PM David Cameron praised his “brave” successor.
Opposition leader Mr Corbyn “welcomed” the election. But Scottish First Minister Ms Sturgeon claimed it was an “extraordinary U-turn”.
Lib Dems leader Tim Farron called it a “chance to change the direction of your country”.