UK MPs back snap polls

British lawmakers yesterday overwhelmingly backed Prime Minister Theresa May's call for a snap election, paving the way for a June vote she hopes will give her a "mandate to complete Brexit".

The House of Commons voted by 522 to 13 to hold a general election on June 8 -- plunging Britain back into political uncertainty just weeks before the start of negotiations on leaving the European Union.

May stunned the country on Tuesday when she announced her plan for an early vote, despite having repeatedly said she would wait until the next election scheduled in 2020.

In fiery exchanges in the House of Commons yesterday, May said an early election would strengthen her hand against domestic critics seeking to "frustrate the process" of Brexit, which formally began last month.

"I will be asking the British people for a mandate to complete Brexit and to make a success of it," the Conservative leader said.

Meanwhile, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said yesterday the "real political" negotiations on Brexit will start after the election.

Schinas said the negotiations had been due to begin in June even before his boss Jean-Claude Juncker had spoken Tuesday to British Prime Minister Theresa May in the wake of her shock call for an early election.

Three weekend opinion polls put the Conservatives about 20 points ahead of Labour, and if translated into votes, this could give May an "election landslide", according to an analysis by The Times.