Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Vince Cable says his party won't strike a deal with the Labour Party after the general election. 

But the former Business Secretary said they may vote with them on key issues in parliament.  

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

The prime minister has again defended her decision to call a snap general election by accusing the opposition parties of seeking to thwart Brexit. 

Theresa May said her opponents in Parliament had sought to "frustrate the Brexit process." 

However, she conceded she had suffered no defeats in the House of Commons over Brexit. 

Mrs May also confirmed she would not be taking part in any television election debates. 

She said she hoped the election would also provide "clarity and certainty for the UK going beyond Brexit". 

However, the prime minister declined to spell out any new policy options during her interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

But where does Theresa May's shock announcement leave NI's talks process?

Sarah Smith
Scotland Editor

Image source, EPA

If this election is to be a referendum on Brexit in the rest of the UK then in Scotland it will be dominated by arguments over whether there should be another referendum on Scottish independence.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she doesn't need to use this election to win a mandate for a referendum because the Scottish Parliament has already voted in favour of having another poll.

But she will obviously use this election to make the case that Scotland should be allowed to choose its own future as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

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Image source, PA

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, said the party will "reveal a bold tax plan" in response to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell's refusal to say that the general level of taxation would rise under a Labour Government.

“It’s deeply disappointing to hear the shadow chancellor back away from a radical shakeup of the tax system to truly redistribute wealth and support our public services," he said.

"The truth is that that anyone paying higher rate tax is in the top 15% of earners in the country, and we should be asking them to pay more to stop our NHS crumbling and our welfare state being destroyed.

"Indeed the general level of taxation in the country should be going up.

"That’s why the Green Party will, in the coming weeks, reveal a bold tax plan which would provide Britain with world-leading public services.”

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Theresa May has insisted she is not running scared by her refusal to take part in TV debates with her opponents.

"I'm constantly debating with my opponents," she said. "I'll be facing Jeremy Corbyn later today in the House of Commons as I face him most Wednesdays of the year."

Asked if she was running scared by not taking part in TV debates, she said: "I'm not, because I believe in campaigns where politicians actually get out and about and meet the voters - it's what I've always believed in.

"I still do it as prime minister, as a constituency MP, I still go out and knock on doors in my constituency. That's what I believe in doing and that's what I'm going to be doing around this campaign."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The Prime Minister Theresa May says she called the general election to give the public a chance to place their trust in her and in the government. 

She rejected claims she was capitalising on Conservative gains in the opinion polls and said opposition parties were to blame for "frustrating" the Brexit process. She said this election would strengthen her mandate when negotiating with the European Union.  

Nick Eardley
BBC Scotland Westminster correspondent

The SNP group at Westminster is expected to abstain on the vote to dissolve parliament today, sources say.

The party's MPs met last night to discuss their position.

BBC Breakfast

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told BBC Breakfast he believed the prime minister had "misjudged this" and that calling the snap election was a "fundamental breakdown of trust" as she had previously said she wouldn't call one.

"Nevertheless this gives us the opportunity to debate the issues about the future of our country and we will take that opportunity," he said.

"I think you’ll find that the polls will narrow and there will be a real opportunity for a Labour government...

"Don't be deceived by the polls, they have not been accurate in the last general election or the referendum... also I think people have underestimated Jeremy Corbyn all the way along and I think we saw that in the Labour leadership elections...

"I believe once we get into a discussion of the policies… you'll see there will be a significant shift in public opinion over the next few weeks."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says going to the polls early gives the government breathing space before the UK's scheduled departure from the EU in 2019.

The real political pressure on Theresa May has not been from Remainers in the Conservative Party, she said, but from those who have been pushing for Leave and worry about backsliding.

"If she ends up with a healthier majority it will be easier for her to fend off Remainers," Laura said.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Theresa May admitted she had been saying "there shouldn't be an election until 2020" - but she decided reluctantly that an early vote was needed "to strengthen our hand in EU negotiations" and to give certainty and clarity beyond Brexit.

She conceded: "I did campaign to Remain, but I also said if we did leave the EU the sky would not fall in."

She added that she "genuinely came to this decision reluctantly", but having looked at the circumstances it was the right decision to go to the polls.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Theresa May says there will be no second referendum on Brexit, although there will be a vote in Parliament on the final deal.

"There can be no turning back," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, but now the government needs to deliver on Brexit, she added.

Mrs May says she will not be taking part in TV debates, but will be knocking on doors and meeting people.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Theresa May says she's determined to "negotiate the best possible deal with the EU", particularly focusing on people's concerns about control of Britain's laws, borders and money.

A Conservative manifesto will include a plan for Brexit, but also "sticking to our plan for building a stronger Britain", working for everyone, trading with the EU and around the rest of the world, she said.

Mrs May says she is clear that migration needs to be at "sustainable levels".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, PA

Theresa May says she took the decision to hold a general election on 8 June "reluctantly" but because it was in the "national interest".

"I trust the British public and I'm asking them to put their trust in me," she said.

Mrs May says she made the decision to go to the country during the Easter holidays after it became clear to her - on hearing what she claims was opposition parties' plans to frustrate the Brexit process - that this was her only path.

"I've taken this decision and I've taken it reluctantly," she said.

BBC Essex

Image source, PA

One of UKIP's biggest donors, Arron Banks, who funded the Leave EU campaign in last year's EU referendum, has told BBC Essex Breakfast that he's 100% standing in Clacton against Douglas Carswell.

MP Mr Carswell, who had a public row with Mr Banks, quit UKIP last month.

When asked whether he's standing for UKIP, Mr Banks said: "I've got a meeting today with Paul [Nuttall, UKIP leader] and Nigel [Farage, former UKIP leader] and I'll be deciding what I'm going to do later on this afternoon."

He told Sadie Nine: "I know nothing about Clacton at all, other than perhaps it's one of the strongest supporting areas for Eurosceptism. My plan is to go down to Clacton, see what the issues are and then we'll start to campaign."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, AFP

Theresa May is on Today on Radio 4 at the moment. She is setting out her reasons for calling a general election three years ahead of schedule.

She says she felt the most important thing for the country was stability when she became prime minister - to ensure the British people had confidence that she would deliver on Brexit.

But when it came to triggering Article 50, the process which kick starts Britain leaving the EU, it became clear that the opposition were intent on frustrating Brexit, she said, and having an election provides the opportunity to ensuring stability.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron told BBC Breakfast: "I think this is an opportunity for the British people to change the direction of the country.

"The contest begins nil nil and therefore everything to play for.

"What I'm sure is that at the moment the British governemnt is taking us towards a hard Brexit, outside the single market, and they're doing so because they haven't got a decent effective opposition.

"And what the Liberal Democrats offer is for the British people to make a choice of a different direction for our country, to resist a hard Brexit, to stay in the single market and to have what every democrat surely believes what every Briton needs. And that is a strong and decent oppostition."