Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of calling a snap election today.
522 Members of Parliament voted for the Prime Minister's motion to call an election on June 8th this year.
Only 13 MPs voted against the motion, providing the Government with a majority of 509.
This number exceeds the threshold of the number of MPs required under the Fixed Term Parliament Act (FPTA) 2011 to call an election.
The FTPA 2011, which was legislated by the last Coalition government, states that if the Government is able to secure the support of two-thirds of MPs to hold an early election, then the motion to call one will be approved.
Today's vote follows the Prime Minister's statement yesterday that she intended to call a snap election in order to secure a mandate from the British people for her plans regarding Brexit, grammar schools and building affordable housing.
During the debate on the motion, Mrs May said she believes this chance to issue an early general election 'will create a window of opportunity before negotiations begin to strengthen Britain's hand in the upcoming Brexit negotiations.'
The Leader of the Opposition and Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, supported the Government's call for an early general election.
Throughout the debate on the motion, he said this is a chance for the British people to vote for a Labour government 'that will put the interests of the majority first.'
Mrs May received warm praise from her Conservative Party colleagues over her decision to call a June election.
'Sign of strength'
The Conservative MP for Mid Worcestershire, Nigel Huddleston, said this is a sign of the Prime Minister's strength.
The Tory MP for St. Albans, Anne Main, praised Mrs May's courage for deciding to secure a mandate from the British people.
She added: 'This is about delivering the future the British public deserve.'
'I am proud to be standing beside a prime minister who will deliver a Brexit that is good for both Britain and the European Union.'
She accused her Liberal Democrat colleagues of game-playing with the country's future.
However, many of the Tory leader's opposition colleagues were quick to pour scorn on her reasons for wanting to call a June election.
'Complicated relationship with the truth'
The Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Paul Farrelly, was forced to withdraw his comment about the Prime Minister's 'complicated relationship with the truth' by Speaker John Bercow.
He then said Mrs May failed to provide a clear indication of her intentions about an election.
But she hit back saying 'there is no turning back from Brexit.'
The Labour MP for Swansea West, Geraint Davies, said the Tory leader had breached a Conservative manifesto promise to keep Britain in the EU's Single Market.
Despite this, the Prime Minister said the manifesto also 'contained a commitment to provide the British people with an EU Referendum, which was delivered, and we are honouring last year's vote.'
Nonetheless, Mr. Corbyn was quick to accuse the Prime Minister of mistrust as he said she has 'misled people about calling an election.'
He added: 'People are worse off than they were when the Tories came to power in 2010.
Her government has failed to rebuild the economy.'
The Labour leader challenged Mrs May to a head-to-head TV debate to discuss their parties' policies.
The Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, Mark Francois, joked about how that was all the Leader of the Opposition had to offer in the debate.
The leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, Angus Robertson, said the Prime Minister intended to call this election 'for reasons of political expediency and to crush the opposition in England.'
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, joined his SNP colleague in calling for a head-to-head TV debate with the opposition leaders.
He added: 'All the Prime Minister wants is a huge majority to deliver a hard Brexit.
She has listened to the narrow majority of those who voted in the referendum in 2016.'
'Wipe the floor with all of them'
But the Tory MP for Ribble Valley, Nigel Evans. said the Conservative leader 'would wipe the floor with all of them' if she entered a TV debate with the opposition leaders.
The next stage will be for Mrs May to travel to Buckingham Palace and request that the Queen dissolve Parliament.
She must do this 25 days before June 8th.
