PMQs and general election live: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn amid accusations of 'opportunism'

Labour and SNP get first chance to grill May - 24 hours after she called a snap election

Corbyn questions May's 'proud' record in TV debate row

Here are the latest updates:

• Theresa May takes PMQs from 12:00 in the House of Commons
• Sources claim May called snap election 'before Corbyn had chance to resign'
• Experts say Labour faces worst result since WWII
• Green Party calls for anti-Tory alliance with Labour and Lib Dems
• PM also accused of using election to avoid Tory campaign expenses scandal
• Pound continues to trade at high levels as traders raise hopes of soft Brexit
• Analysis: What does the early election mean for Brexit?

Speaking ahead of PMQs today, Theresa May claimed that victory in the snap general election would strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations with EU leaders.

The Prime Minister said that if she had not performed a U-turn on calling an early vote, the "crucial part" of the Brexit talks would have occurred in the build-up to a general election, which EU negotiators could have exploited as a "weakness".

Ms May appealed for the British people to trust her to handle Brexit and rejected claims the decision to go to the country on 8 June was motivated by political opportunism at a time when the Tories enjoy a healthy opinion poll lead.

She said she wanted a stronger mandate because, with a slim working majority of just 17 MPs, opposition parties were intent on "frustrating" Brexit, even though she has yet to lose a vote on the issue in the Commons.

MPs are today expected to back Mss May's demand for an early ballot, three years ahead of the next scheduled general election.

[19 April 2017 12:06 · tompeck1000]

Corbyn now about to deliver the first 5.555556 per cent chunk of his last ever questions to the Prime Minister.

[19 April 2017 12:07 · John Rentoul]

Good Q Alberto Costa: who else in this House could provide strong leadership. Will start to compile a list. #PMQs

[19 April 2017 12:07 · Kristin Hugo]

PMQs is underway. First up is a friendly question from Tory backbencher Alberto Costa about which other parties could offer the leadership the country needs. May repeats her new soundbite about the Conservatives providing "strong and steady leadership".

She says Jeremy Corbyn would "bankrupt our economy, weaken our defences and is simply not fit to lead".

[19 April 2017 12:08 · John Rentoul]

The Tory joke of sarcastic cheers for Corbyn gets funnier every time. #PMQs

[19 April 2017 12:09 · Kristin Hugo]

A long and slightly rambling question from Jeremy Corbyn begins with mention of May's failure to agree to TV debates and ends with him asking why people in Britain are getting poorer. The Prime Minister says she will be taking to the country with "a proud message" about Conservative achievements in government.

[19 April 2017 12:09 · John Rentoul]

Corbyn asks a good follow-up Q, if her record is so good why won't she debate it? And then fails to sit down, burbling on about the deficit

[19 April 2017 12:13 · Kristin Hugo]

Corbyn is straight into campaign mode, focusing on what he calls the Conservatives' failures in government rather than Westminster-centric political matters about the election process itself. 

He pushes May on the Tories' broken promises on cutting the deficit. 

"I know it's taken the Right Honourable gentleman a little time to get the hang of these questions", May mocks, repeating her claim that Labour's economic policy would "bankrupt this country". Ordinary people would pay for this "with their taxes, their jobs and their childrens' futures", she adds.

[19 April 2017 12:16 · Kristin Hugo]

Corbyn continues pushing May on the Tories' record since 2010, asking about their failure to cut the deficit as much as promised.

May responds by claiming Labour would double income tax, national insurance, council tax, and VAT. "That's Labour's plan for the economy", she says.

[19 April 2017 12:17 · Kristin Hugo]

Sticking to the same tact, Corbyn says the Conservatives' record is "more debt and less funding for schools and hospitals".

Now he's back to a familiar topic: schools funding. "Why are there tax giveaways to the richest corporations while our children's schools are starved of the resources they need?", he asks.

May says there are "record levels" of funding going to schools and to the NHS.

[19 April 2017 12:18 · Henry Zeffman]

Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko watching #PMQs from gallery. He won his election with 55%. May wouldn't mind that