The Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate for St Albans says the party is prepared for the snap election.

Prime Minister Theresa May announced this morning there will be a general election on Thursday, June 8.

Liberal Democrat candidate, Daisy Cooper, said: “It is not wholly surprising, but I welcome the opportunity for the people of St Albans to have their say, and I look forward to campaigning.

“63% of St Albans voted to ‘Remain’, as championed by the Lib Dems, and many more oppose the reckless decision of this hard-right Conservative government to pursue a ‘hard Brexit’”

“The Labour Party is in an absolute mess, so Theresa May saw an opportunity. I think she is prepared to lose seats to the Liberal Democrats.”

A recent internal poll by the Conservative party predicted they could lose the 27 seats they gained from the Lib Dems at the last election.

Ms Cooper said: “I will be campaigning full-time from today until 8 June and making the case that anyone who wants to avoid a disastrous hard Brexit, keep Britain in the single market, and who wants Great Britain to remain open, tolerant and united, the only party to vote for is the Liberal Democrats.”

She was selected as the party’s candidate last August. The Liberal Democrats came third in St Albans in 2015.