Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has announced that a general election will be held on Thursday 5 May.
Mr Blair earlier visited Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen to dissolve parliament.
The announcement of a general election had been expected yesterday, but was postponed as a mark of respect following the death of the Pope.
Several significant measures currently before parliament will not now become law. Controversial measures such as a bill to introduce ID cards and another to introduce a law against incitement to religious hatred may well be lost.
Labour wants to campaign on the economy, jobs, and public services.
The Tories have stressed their plans to cut taxes and public spending waste while continuing to boost frontline public services such as the police, schools and hospitals.
Although several recent polls have shown evidence of a Tory recovery, none has yet put the Conservatives far enough ahead of Labour to overturn Mr Blair's 161-seat Commons majority.
