Jennifer McKiernan
BBC political reporter

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed parliament will now be prorogued, or closed for business at the end of this week.

That means there is just one, or possibly one-and-a-half, days of what's known as "wash-up", which is when the government can try to get Bills through in backroom deals before the official business session ends.

This very short period could give enough time for Sunak to get his Tobacco and Vapes Bill to pass as it's likely to form part of his political legacy. But other Bills still in progress will "fall", meaning they'll be ditched by MPs at this point.

Calling the general election now means the next parliamentary recess, which was MPs' next holiday period and was due to start next week, is now cancelled as campaigning officially begins.

Parliament will then be dissolved on Thursday 30 May, which gives the legally necessary 25 working days until polling day on Thursday 4 July.

The prime minister needs to request permission from the King for their general election schedule.

We now know that Sunak met the King at Buckingham Palace for a private 15 minute meeting ahead of his 5pm speech on Downing Street.

The Green Party has set out how they'll offer voters "practical solutions to the crises facing the country".

Co-leader Carla Denyer, who'll be standing to become MP for Bristol Central, said a July election was "the chance to vote for a different vision of what our country can be".

She added: "By reforming our tax system to make it fairer – including a tax on the super-rich billionaires and multi-millionaires – we would raise £50 billion to invest in our NHS, warmer homes and cleaner rivers.”

Co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who is the party's parliamentary candidate for Waveney Valley, said Greens hoped to get four MPs elected "to hold the government to account".

The Greens veteran MP Caroline Lucas, first elected in 2010 and the party's only MP, is standing down from her Brighton Pavilion seat this election.

Former co-leader and Green London Assembly member Sian Berry hopes to take up the role in her stead.

Let's bring you the thoughts of election guru Prof Sir John Curtice who has been talking on BBC Radio 5 Live and giving his thoughts on Rishi Sunak's announcement.

“He’s decided to call the election early. Whether he’s doing so in the hope of victory or whether he’s throwing in the towel will be the subject of comment and speculation over the next 24 hours,” Curtice says.

"Rishi Sunak is calling on his actions in the pandemic - he’s wanting voters to accept that stability.

"On the other hand, Sir Keir Starmer is saying, 'You want stability, the kind the Conservatives have not been able to offer you - to get that stability you need to change the government'.

“The SNP have just changed their leader, they’re in political trouble, they’re now five or six points behind Labour in the opinion polls - this could well mean Labour getting 30 seats north of the border and the SNP a dozen or so.

"Rishi Sunak is giving Labour this opportunity.”

“This is an election for Labour to lose. Starmer’s task is to hang on to the support the party has.”

Reform Party leader Richard Tice posted a video on social media telling voters "we're ready" for a July general election.

Attacking the prime minister's rain-soaked announcement, he said: "What a scene - the PM drenched in rain, drowned out by the boogie-blaster of Steve Bray, no less, highlighting the utter incompetence of this Conservative government."

He claimed the Tories have "broken Britain", while Labour would bring "Starmergeddon" and only Reform could "save Britain".

The party currently has one MP following Lee Anderson's defection from the Conservatives in March.

We've been getting reaction in from Northern Ireland's political parties following the election announcement.

Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O'Neill says the government in Westminster has "been a disaster from start to finish".

She says the election is a chance for voters to say they want decisions "to be made here in Ireland and not in London".

Gavin Robinson, leader of the DUP, says it is clear “this government is fast running out of steam”.

He says his party will give voters a "clear choice as to who they think is best placed to represent them and deliver the best outcomes for them".

Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party, says the election has been "a long time coming" and that her campaign will offer voters positivity and progressiveness.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood says "'it's time to get the Tories out of power" and "restore faith in government as a force for good".

First impressions of election announcements help frame the contestpublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 22 May

18:47 BST 22 May

Helen Catt
Political correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Being the one who calls the election is often seen as a prime minister's greatest asset.

As we saw this afternoon, though, it can bring downsides.

The expectation is that a PM does it in Downing Street, in front of the famous black door, with all the trappings of office.

But today it left Rishi Sunak at the mercy of the weather and noisy protesters.

More drenched and drowned-out than poised and prime ministerial.

Sir Keir Starmer, on the other hand was able to respond in his own time in the warm - and dry.

The carefully-positioned union flags, smartly arranged. A one-word campaign slogan fixed to his lectern.

It won't be the contrast the Conservatives will have been hoping for, but Labour are likely to be delighted

Particularly as first impressions often help frame the contest to come.

Scotland's FIrst Minister and SNP leader John Swinney welcomes the news of the general election as an "opportunity to remove the Tory government and to put Scotland first".

Swinney adds: "This is perhaps the latest act of disrespect from a Conservative government to call an election during the Scottish summer school holidays.

"There will be schools in Scotland on holiday by the time polling day comes and that will not have been given a moment's thought by the Tory election planners.

"It shows the contempt the Tories have for Scotland."

Image source, PA Media

Let's turn to the Liberal Democrats and their reaction to the election announcement.

Leader Sir Ed Davey says the general election will be a "chance to kick Rishi Sunak’s appalling Conservative government out of office and deliver the change the public is crying out for".

“The NHS has been brought to its knees, people’s mortgages and rents have soared by hundreds of pounds a month and water companies have got away with pumping filthy sewage into our rivers and beaches.

"All because this Conservative government is more interested in fighting between themselves than standing up for the needs of the country."

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Image source, EPA

Publicly, this will be an evening of message discipline in both parties.

Privately, there is confusion in at least some parts of the Conservative Party about why Rishi Sunak decided to call the general election sooner than was widely expected.

“I just don’t understand it,” one Conservative MP said. “The economy is improving. Why not give that more time to bed in?”

One senior minister was annoyed that Sunak gave his speech in the driving rain.

“If the whole point was to remind the public that he was Mr Furlough, why not do the speech inside from the same briefing room?”

They added: “Labour MPs are happy. We’re not. That tells a story.”

Sarah Campbell
Royal correspondent, reporting from Buckingham Palace

According to a Palace source, the prime minister met the King earlier this afternoon, directly after a reception.

The meeting lasted for approximately 15 minutes. It took place on the same day as the usual Wednesday audience for the prime minister, in the usual audience room at Buckingham Palace.

A Palace spokesperson said: "Following the prime minister’s statement this afternoon calling a general election, the Royal Family will – in accordance with normal procedure – postpone engagements that may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.

"Their majesties send their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result."

Image source, PA Media

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has spoken about the forthcoming general election - being held on 4 July.

Here's a brief rundown of what he said.

• Against the backdrop of two UK flags, Starmer said his "party wants to return Britain to the service of working people"
• The "opportunity for change" is what the general election is about, Starmer added
• Starmer insisted Labour would put "country first and party second"
• The Labour leader repeated the word "change" throughout his statement and set out why the UK should not back the Tories
• He outlined three themes during his statement which were "stop the chaos", "time for change" and "reset the economy and our politics"
• "The future of the country is in your hands," Starmer said. "Together we can stop the chaos, turn the page and start to rebuild Britain and change our country"

A lot of battles in six weeks aheadpublished at 17:59 British Summer Time 22 May

17:59 BST 22 May

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

The battle at the general election will be complicated.

But the messaging will boil down to this.

Rishi Sunak will argue the economy has turned a corner, that his plan for the country is working and people should trust him to finish the job.

Labour’s argument will be simple. One word will sum it up: change. The party will argue the government’s plan isn’t working and it’s time for someone new.

There will be a lot of other battles.

On issues like the NHS, immigration and national security. Much more besides.

There will be battles in Scotland where Labour believe they can change SNP supremacy.

There will be battles in parts of England where the Lib Dems think they can take Tory strongholds and turn them yellow.

Can Reform take Conservative votes? Can the Greens cause problems for Labour?

There’s a long six-week campaign ahead. Then it’s up to you.

I believe with patience and determination we can unlock the potential of the country, Starmer continues.

"The future is in your hands," the Labour leader says.

"On July 4, you have a choice," he says.

"Together we can stop the chaos, turn the page, and we can start to rebuild Britain and change our country," Starmer concludes.

The Labour leader hails his plan to create public firm called Great British Energy to cut energy bills.

He adds the party will work to reduce anti-social behaviour and recruit more teachers for schools.

He says they will act with a "new spirit of service", putting the UK's interestes before those of the Labour party.

Starmer argues that people should reject the "gesture politics" of the Tories and the SNP.

Starmer says the country has been left exposed and insecure under this government, with potential in some communities being wasted.

He says a vote for Labour is a chance to turn the page and change the future.

Starmer says Labour has a long-term plan to rebuild Britain, which is fully costed and will deliver economic growth.

Labour will secure the UK's borders, cut bills, tackle anti-social behaviour and invest in education, he adds.

Image source, .

If the Conservatives get another five years, Starmer continues, "they will be entitled to carry on exactly as they are".

"Nothing will change," he says.

A vote for Labour is a vote for stability, Starmer says, and a vote for "a politics that treads more lightly... and stops the chaos."

"It is time for change," he says.

Starmer says the Labour party has changed over the last few years and asks for a chance to do the same for the country.

He says Labour will "return Britain to the service of working people" and transform the country.

Starmer adds that they will reverse things like sewage being pumped into rivers, people waiting for treatment in A&E, and reverse the trend of rising mortgages and food prices.

Sir Keir Starmer is now speaking after the prime minister announced the date of the election.

He calls this a moment the country needs and has been waiting for.

Starmer says this is the time to change communities and the country, and calls this election campaign an opportunity to secure a better future.

We're waiting to hear from Sir Keir Starmer, who is due to respond to the election announcement in the next few minutes.

The podium, which bears Labour's "change" campaign message, is in place in front of two Union Flags.

Image source, PA Media

After hours of speculation Rishi Sunak has confirmed a general election will take place in a few weeks - let's just recap what he said in his statement:

• The prime minister said that, earlier today, he asked King Charles to dissolve Parliament on 30 May - this was granted
• It means a general election will take place on Thursday 4 July
• Battling the rain in Downing Street, Sunak said he was proud of what his government had achieved as he set out intentions to fight for "every vote"
• Sunak said there were uncertain times ahead and insisted he and his government led had a clear plan
• He also went onto criticise Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as someone who had no plan and said: "I don't know what they offer - and in truth, I don't think you do either"