PM says commitment to spending 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid will remain
Labour focuses on education, blaming the Tories for "super-sized classes"
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron says activists and donors were "flocking" to the party on the back of its anti-Brexit message
Nicola Sturgeon launches council elections manifesto as a "clear choice" between SNP and Tories
The government has ditched controversial probate fee rises ahead of the 8 June election
Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of ad giant WPP, says an election victory would help Theresa May to secure a softer Brexit, with no "cliff edge" for British businesses.
Snap election strengthens May, says Sorrell
The pound has eased a little on the currency markets, trading at $1.2818.
On Tuesday it hit a peak of $1.2862, the highest level since 3 October.
But analysts are cautious.
"It isn't quite the one way street that a lot of people have painted over the last 20 hours," said Richard Benson, co-head of portfolio investment with currency fund Millennium Global.
He says there is likely to be volatility in the run-up to the 8 June election.
"With a 20% lead off the starting blocs, I would have thought the risk is more that it will narrow than grow. A positive surprise from the French election would also presumably see a squeeze higher in the euro after the weekend."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says her objective at this election is to make sure the SNP is in "the strongest possible position" to protect her country's interests.
"I will be fighting to win every constituency in Scotland, not limiting myself to any number," she said in a photo-call outside the Houses of Parliament.
The businesswoman whose legal action forced Theresa May to hold a parliamentary vote on her plans for Brexit has launched a fresh drive to persuade people to vote tactically in the general election.
Gina Miller said her campaign was aimed at preventing an "extreme Brexit" by securing the election of as many MPs as possible who were committed to a "real" final vote by Parliament on the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.
In a posting on the gofundme website, she said she was seeking to raise £10,000 through crowdfunding to help finance a tour of marginal constituencies to ensure the government did not have a mandate to "destroy our rights and our relationship with Europe".
Quote MessageWe need to prevent MPs and the people being forced into an extreme Brexit that is not in Britain's best interests."
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
Three former party leaders gathered in Today towers to talk to Nick Robinson about the history and significance of snap elections.
Lord Howard was Conservative Party leader and former Home Secretary, Lord Kinnock was Labour party leader and Baroness Williams is the former President of the SDP.
Image source, PAApplications to register to vote surged in the hours following Theresa May's snap election announcement.
More than 150,000 applications were made on Tuesday, the biggest total recorded for a single day since the 2016 referendum campaign.
The figures include those checking to see if they are already registered to vote, as well as those who are ineligible.
About five million applications to register to vote were made in England and Wales between 1 January and 20 April 2015, ahead of the last general election.
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Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn will be joined by Conservative Damian Green and Labour's John Healey for live coverage of PMQs immediately followed by a debate to approve a general election on 8 June.The programme is live on BBC2 from 11:30 BST to 13:00.
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BBC Radio 5 live
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Labour leader Lord Kinnock told John Pienaar on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think that it's unlikely that we will make the kind of gains because - as you will recall John with your perfect clarity - that I said that unless there are substantial changes that I am unlikely to live to see another Labour government."
"There haven't been the substantial changes that I would have wanted and therefore I'm as gloomy about my prospects of living to see another Labour government as I was then.
"However this is the Labour party, he is the leader of the Labour party, and members of the Labour party, members of Parliament, candidates, rank and file members will fight like hell to advance the Labour cause."
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
Theresa May rejects the notion they are asking the public to blindly trust government
The Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is not seeking an electoral "blank cheque". She said her manifesto will be "a manifesto to take the country forward".
She rejected Nick Robinson's question that some might see the election as political opportunism and said she was working in the best interests of the British people to secure a strong future for the country post Brexit.
Theresa May will not take part in TV debates ahead of the planned general election, she has told the BBC.
She told Radio 4's Today she preferred "to get out and about and meet voters".
Labour's Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of "dodging" a head-to-head showdown and the Lib Dems urged broadcasters to "empty chair" her.
By Prof Tim Bale, Queen Mary University of London
A snap general election has been announced by UK Prime Minister Theresa May, to "guarantee certainty and security". But what does history say about her chances of winning a greater majority?
The UK doesn't generally do snap elections.
Since World War Two, there are really only two other examples of a prime minister going to the country within a year or two of the previous contest.
However, there have also been a few occasions which have seen prime ministers who - like Theresa May - made it to Downing Street without winning an election themselves going to the country for a "personal mandate".
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Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have been fined by the Electoral Commission for failing to comply with campaigning rules at the 2015 general election.
Non-party campaigners were required to register with the Electoral Commission if they spent more than either £20,000 campaigning in England or £10,000 campaigning in Wales.
The Electoral Commission said neither organisation had registered and it had found that about £100,000 had been spent on campaigning activity.
This included £99,000 by Greenpeace in England and £12,000 in Wales on a “Coastal Champions” boat tour and on an anti-fracking poster campaign, which was undertaken jointly with Friends of the Earth.
The commission said Friends of the Earth spent at least £24,000 in England on the joint campaign with Greenpeace and on a “manifesto scorecard” published on its website.
Greenpeace was fined £30,000 and Friends of the Earth was fined £1,000.
Separately, the Electoral Commission also fined the Democratic Unionist Party £1,000 for not registering a change of registered leader of the party by the required date.
