This is a totally legit snap election. Theresa May was elected Prime Minister by her peers following the resignation of the former Prime Minister. She subsequently consolidated her position within the Conservative Party, and is now seeking a mandate from the people for her government.
Another totally legit snap election is when there is an impasse in Parliament. For example, they’re not able to pass a budget.
Now, as to the fact that the Tories are riding high in the polls, we’ll just say that’s a coincidence.
BTW my wife is part English, and really likes Theresa May.
Believe me, I know the British constitution very well - often find myself explaining it here.
Until recently, there would have been no question that May’s decision to ask for a General election would have been completely right and proper, but the passage of the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act in 2011 does change things somewhat. The entire purpose of that Act was to remove the Prime Minister’s power to easily call an early election except in extraordinary circumstances - and explicitly even such things as a failure to pass a budget would no longer be considered sufficient cause. Last year the Cameron government even expressly stated a position that a Prime Minister could no longer call an early election.
I don’t like the idea of fixed terms in a Westminster system, so I am not unhappy at what May is doing, but it is hard to argue for the same legitimacy in the decision as has always applied in the past on the same terms. It is clearly and undoubtedly constitutional however and I am very glad to see it because she herself is creating the precedent that future Prime Ministers will use to call early elections despite that Act. I did not think she would have the guts to do it. It’s quite a big call.
She is going to win a massive landslide.