UK to hold snap general election in June: PM May

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By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - The U.K. will hold a snap general election on June 8, Prime Minister Theresa May announced Tuesday.

"It is a recent and reluctant decision," May said in an urgent statement that followed a routine Cabinet meeting. "I will move a motion in the parliament tomorrow."

Underlining the opposition of the other parties, and their attempts to block the Brexit decision, May complained about lack of unity in parliament.

"At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division," she said.

May recalled that in recent weeks, the Labour Party had threatened to vote against the deal reached with the European Union, while the Liberal Democrats "have said they want to grind the business of government to a standstill".

"The Scottish National Party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britain’s membership of the European Union.

"And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way," she continued.

May said the opponents were "wrong" to believe that the government’s majority is small and "they can force us to change course".

"They underestimate our determination to get the job done and I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of working people across the country," she said.

"The government has a plan for Brexit that will allow the U.K. to regain control of its laws and borders. ... This is the right approach."

The government motion on the snap election will come to the Parliament’s lower chamber, The House of Commons, on Wednesday for discussions.

May has opposed the idea of a snap election since she came in the office following the resignation of her predecessor David Cameron.

The latest opinion polls suggest a clear lead for May’s Conservative Party.

British voters decided to leave the European Union in a referendum last year, signaling the end of the country's 44-year long membership to the bloc.