MP for Broadland Keith Simpson said he was 'amazed' at the snap general election announcement from Prime Minister Theresa May as he confirmed he will be looking to stand for re-election this June.

Mr Simpson, who was first elected as MP for Mid Norfolk at the 1997 general election, and later Broadland in 2010, said he had met the chief whip yesterday morning who showed 'no indication' of the news.

Tomorrow he will meet with his constituency association to seek readoption for the June 8 election.

'I think like everybody else I was amazed [by the announcement],' he said. 'I as usual had breakfast with the chief whip at the House of Commons and he showed no indication or sign anything was about to happen. Everyone has been impressed by the way it was kept secret.

'She was pretty steely about it.'

Mr Simpson said Ms May was right to call the snap election with the official opposition in 'total disarray'.

He said: 'I think she had hoped not to have to do this but I think she worked out the trouble was going to be - having started the clock for negotiating Brexit - the two years was going to end in 2018 and she was going to find real difficulties negotiating with our EU former partners while also having to prepare for a general election.

'Those things come together with the fact the main opposition is in total disarray. It is going to be a most peculiar election, totally dominated by the personalities of the leaders and how we negotiate Brexit.

'We have had so many elections and we are in the middle of county council elections in Norfolk. My guess compared to 2015 the overall turnout will be lower. We are all getting voter fatigue and that usually translates into a lower turnout.'