The general election will be on 17 June

The ballot papers are to be printed for that date, and there’s no arguing with that or speculation around it.

The Prime Minister intends to call the general election on Monday/Tuesday, and today he will have had the results of an opinion poll carried out between Friday and Sunday.

If he sticks to the plan and calls the election for that date, it’s because the poll tells him he will win. If he doesn’t, it’s because the poll results worry him.

But we still have to ask the fundamental question: why is he calling the general election a whole year ahead of time?

There has got to be a grave reason for it, and the press and the Opposition need to find the answer quickly instead of having their focus derailed by the big event itself.