Theresa May has today called for a snap election on the 8th of June. But what is a snap election? Our resident psephologist, Professor Tired Man, explains.

A snap election can be called by using the Fixed-term Parliament Act 2011, and prior to then was under the prerogative of the Prime Minister. It is much like a regular election, except the results of the constituencies are decided by knock-out games of Snap, with the winner declared MP. These can sometimes lead to shock upsets, such as the snap election of October 1974, called by Harold Wilson, where in Peterborough, the incumbent MP Sir Harmar Nicholls, 1st Baronet, Conservative, lost to a slow call on a pair of a Queen of Hearts to Michael Ward, Labour.

What does this mean for today? It is thought a snap election at this point could lead to a wide Conservative victory, as Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, has injured his hand whilst gardening, and much of the rest of the Labour Party will only be able to play with one hand, the other being hidden behind their backs, knives in hand.

— Henry Dyer