UK heads for surprise general election

British Prime Minister Theresa May has surprised even her conservative party colleagues, by calling for a snap election on June the 8th.

She says she's facing too much "game-playing" from the opposition. But they have welcomed the election too, which will be a test of Brexit.

​Labour and the much smaller opposition Liberal Democrats said they would vote in favour of the early election, all but guaranteeing May's decision will be approved.

For May, the timing could be auspicious, as the opposition Labour Party is struggling with internal dissent.

But Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, described the decision as a "huge political miscalculation" that could help her efforts to hold a new independence referendum.

TRT World's Sarah Morice has the story.

Early election can benefit Brexit talks

May announced on Tuesday her desire to take the country to the polls. The next parliamentary election was not due until 2020.

The former interior minister, who succeeded former prime minister David Cameron, said she needed to strengthen her hand in negotiations in Britain's divorce talks with the EU which will reshape Britain and could test the cohesion of the European Union.