POLITICIANS from across North Wiltshire have reacted to the news that there will be a snap general election in June.

Prime Minister Theresa May made the shock announcement on the steps of Downing Street this morning.

James Gray, Conservative MP for North Wiltshire, said: “I think the choice this election will be extremely plain.

“It will be between a strong statesmen-like government led by Theresa May or a rag bag coalition led by Jeremy Corbyn.

“The Prime Minister has asked for a mandate for a clear negotiation with the EU and she’ll be asking the people in June for that mandate.

“In North Wiltshire the people voted to leave and will be seeking reconfirmation of that case.

“If they like what I have done for the last 20 years, I’ve fought hard for people of all persuasions, and if they like what the Conservatives have done for the last two years then they will cast their vote for me.

“If they want Mr Jeremy Corbyn and some rag bag coalition they should vote Liberal Democrat or Labour.”

“I think that the point Theresa May made on the steps of Downing Street this morning was extremely sensible.

“The people voted to leave the European Union and we have triggered Article 50 and we will be leaving.

“Opposition parties have said they will try to use parliamentary shenangigans to stop it so she has asked the people for a mandate and I shall look forward to it.

“She will hope to have a very large majority as Labour are in deep trouble and the Liberal Democrats have been in deep trouble for some time.”

Brian Mathew, the Liberal Democrat prospective MP for the North Wiltshire constituency said:

“First of all I’d like to echo the comments of our party leader Tim Farron, that this is chance to change the direction of the country, that this country is not united as Theresa May said.

“It’s been split by the referendum which has was called to keep the right of the Tory party together and which could ruin the country financially.

“In North Wiltshire, the way the results went in the referendum was actually the polar opposite of what happened in the country as a whole.

“52 per cent of people voted to remain and 48 per cent voted to leave.

“In terms of a final deal on Brexit, the Liberal Democrats have always said there is a need for a second referendum.

“This is effectively that second referendum, this is a chance for the great British people to come together and reject the horrors that now appear before us.

“So we as the Lib Dems are up for it.

“Across Wiltshire we’re fighting 89 of the council seats, the party locally is fired up and we will take this to the Conservatives.

“I would like to see a progressive alliance, good people in Labour and good people in the Greens to come with us on this march.

“It’s always been our position to stay in the EU and we will certainly campaigning to stay in the single market.

“This is a chance for sanity.”