The next general election is now just 51 days away as Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she wants to the country to go to the polls on June 8.

She has challenged opposition parties to provide an alternative to the Government's plans for Brexit.

She said the decision was needed to see off uncertainty and make their position stronger when negotiating with the EU.

MORE: Theresa May calls for general election on June 8 - is she right to do so?

Speaking outside Downing Street this morning, Mrs May said: "I have a simple challenge to the opposition parties.

In the last election, the Conservatives defied the pollsters to win with a small majority Government.

The Tories came away with 331 seats, beating Labours 232 and the Liberal Democrats 8.

In 2015, all of Kent voted Conservative with Gareth Johnson returning to his seat in Dartford.

The former Dartford Grammar pupil won with 49 per cent of the vote in an area that had a 73 per cent turn out, beating Labour and UKIP who came second and third.

The Conservatives won seats in Bromley and Chislehurst with Bob Neill, Orpington with Jo Johnson and Old Bexley and Sidcup with James Brokenshire.

Mr Brokenshire won for the second time in 2015 with 24,682 votes.

MORE: MPs reacts to Theresa May's call for a snap general election on June 8

Bexleyheath and Crayford elected David Evenett and Beckenham elected a Conservative MP Bob Stewart.

Vicky Foxcroft took a massive 28,572 votes - a 60 per cent share - to retain Lewisham Deptford for Labour.

Ms Foxcroft got more than 6,000 extra votes for the party compared to 2010.

A new opinion poll by YouGov suggests 44 per cent of people back the Conservatives, with 23 supporting labour and UKIP having 10 per cent.

Labour retained seats in south-east London in 2015, including Erith and Thamesmead with Teresa Pearce, Lewisham East with Heidi Alexander, Lewisham West and Penge with Jim Dowd and Greenwich and Woolwich Mattew Pennycook.

Teresa Pearce has welcomed the election.

She said: "I have been proud to serve as the MP for Erith and Thamesmead for the past 7 years, standing up for our patch and putting our community first. 

"Labour will be offering the country an effective alternative to rebuild the economy, to invest in our NHS and to fight the housing crisis head-on. 

"I will continue to work tirelessly to serve our area and I am looking forward to a positive campaign putting forward a future that we want to see for our country and our area."

The landscape did not change much two years ago, and Gareth Johnson hopes for a similar outcome this year.

Mr Johnson said: “Dartford is Britain’s longest lasting bellwether seat, having returned an MP from the governing party at each election longer than anywhere else.

“This means that if Labour win in Dartford on 8 June Jeremy Corbyn will be our Prime Minister and running our country. The thought of that makes me shudder.

"We cannot allow Jeremy Corbyn to spoil the work that Theresa May has started. I will be putting myself forward to continue serving the people of Dartford and help Theresa May continue her work. I hope that I will be given that opportunity."