Britain to head to the polls on 8 June

The UK will being going ahead with its 8 June election after MPs supported the early election with 522 votes to 13.

The majority of 509 votes gives UK Prime Minister Theresa May her two-thirds majority, which is required to call an election under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

May is seeking a general election in order to give her a direct mandate to take the UK through the Brexit divorce with the European Union.

The decision comes just three weeks after the Prime Minister began the formal Brexit process.

May said on Tuesday that she had been reluctant about asking parliament to back her move to bring forward the election from 2020, but decided it was necessary to win support for her ruling Conservative Party's efforts to press ahead with Britain's departure from the EU.

"It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond," she said.

May had previously said categorically that the next general election would be held as scheduled in 2020.

Both Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and top Liberal Democrat Tim Farron backed the move, while Nicola Sturgeon's SNP abstained.

Despite getting backing from Corbyn, voting figures suggest that many Labour MPs chose to abstain, as 174 Labour MPs out of 229 voted in favour. Nine Labour MPs opposed the snap election, including Clive Lewis, Liz McInnes, and Dennis Skinner. Two former SNP independents, Natalie McGarry and Michelle Thompson also voted against, as did SDLP MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell.

In contrast, almost all the MPs in May’s Conservatives party (325 out of 330) voted for the early election.

Opening a Commons debate on the election motion the Prime Minister told MPs it was time to "put our fate in the hands of the people and let the people decide" and that her party would provide "strong and stable leadership in the national interest”.

But Corbyn said the Prime Minister's U-turn showed she could not be trusted to run the country.

"The Prime Minister talks about a strong economy, but the truth is most people are worse off then they were when the Conservatives came to power seven years ago. The election gives the British people the chance to change direction,” he said.