PMQs and general election live: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn amid accusations of 'opportunism'
Labour and SNP get first chance to grill May - 24 hours after she called a snap election
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- Theresa May takes PMQs from 12:00 in the House of Commons
- Sources claim May called snap election 'before Corbyn had chance to resign'
- Experts say Labour faces worst result since WWII
- Green Party calls for anti-Tory alliance with Labour and Lib Dems
- PM also accused of using election to avoid Tory campaign expenses scandal
- Pound continues to trade at high levels as traders raise hopes of soft Brexit
- Analysis: What does the early election mean for Brexit?
Speaking ahead of PMQs today, Theresa May claimed that victory in the snap general election would strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations with EU leaders.
The Prime Minister said that if she had not performed a U-turn on calling an early vote, the "crucial part" of the Brexit talks would have occurred in the build-up to a general election, which EU negotiators could have exploited as a "weakness".
Ms May appealed for the British people to trust her to handle Brexit and rejected claims the decision to go to the country on 8 June was motivated by political opportunism at a time when the Tories enjoy a healthy opinion poll lead.
She said she wanted a stronger mandate because, with a slim working majority of just 17 MPs, opposition parties were intent on "frustrating" Brexit, even though she has yet to lose a vote on the issue in the Commons.
MPs are today expected to back Mss May's demand for an early ballot, three years ahead of the next scheduled general election.
"There is only one route to the Prime Minister losing this general election and it is a Liberal Democrat route", Mr Farron said. He pointed out that, unless they field candidates outside Scotland, the SNP could only gain one seat and said "nobody believes" that Labour will be winning seats at the election.
Nigel Evans, a Conservative backbencher, asked Mr Farron if he believed being gay was a sin - a reference to a previous Channel 4 interview in which the now Lib Dem leader consistently refused to answer the question.
Speaking today, Mr Farron said he did not think that was the case and said he was "very proud" to have voted in favour of gay rights.
ITV has confirmed it will hold a leaders debate in advance of the 8 June election, despite Theresa May insisting she will not take part.
May's team now face a choice: allow the Prime Minister to back down and take part, or face the prospect of her being empty-chaired and accusing of running away from scrutiny.
A spokesperson for ITV said: "ITV will hold a leaders' debate as we did in 2010 and 2015."
I knew I’d seen the new One Blackfriars tower somewhere before http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C9xzNRCWsAI5tx3.jpg
Jeremy Corbyn accuses Theresa May of trying to "run away from her duty to democracy” by refusing to attend TV debates http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C9xz8irXYAAE04e.jpg
And to illustrate my point, I include a short video of myself, debating Theresa May, on TV. twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/s…
For all you Twitter lip readers out there, I said "Leadership Pitch" after Yvette Copper's PMQ. Don't think I was only one to think that!
The honourable members are swelling in number. We will soon have a result in the first time Westminster has voted for an election.
About to do a Facebook Live video broadcast on the election vote with Andrew Grice on the @IndyPolitics FB page
Parliament just approved the snap election independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
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