How do you feel about another general election? Join our live look at the week

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/live/2017/apr/21/how-do-you-feel-about-another-general-election-join-our-live-look-at-the-week

Version 0 of 10.

12.19pm BST

12:19

Here are some of your thoughts so far:

How do you feel about another general election?

High risk, and a necessary distraction from real life! Hi everyone.

How do I feel about another election? Depressed because it seems to be a foregone conclusion that 'they' will get in again.

And an early election distraction ... One to watch?

The big election story so far, which I don't believe the Guardian have covered as of yet, is that a man naming himself Mr Fish Finger, dressed up as a giant fish finger, is standing against Tim Farron.

http://www.itv.com/news/border/2017-04-20/farron-welcomes-challenge-of-fish-finger/

The man of God versus the man of Cod. There can be only one winner.

12.08pm BST

12:08

How do you feel about a general election?

Martin Belam

Politicians usually like to brief favoured journalists and newspapers ahead of key announcements, so it isn’t that often that the entire political media is taken by surprise. But that happened this week, as Theresa May made the surprise announcement of a snap election. We’ve struggled in the office to talk about anything else since.

From the polls you might think it is going to be a foregone conclusion. But it is an important one for the country. A Conservative victory will be treated as an endorsement of whatever kind of exit from the European Union Theresa May manages to obtain. And it also means that her government will have extra breathing space after the day of Brexit before needing to go to the polls again. If the UK crashes out of the EU badly in March 2019, May will have until June 2022 to turn things back around. It’s an election that we didn’t need, and as David Robjant wrote to our letters page:

A woman who always keeps her promises has called an election she promised not to, in order to obtain a mandate she says she already has, for a policy she said was a bad idea.

Jeremy Corbyn, and whether the PLP will be whole-heartedly supporting him, will be under intense scrutiny. The attacks on him from the Conservatives and right-wing elements of the press will only intensify. But he’s also repeatedly demonstrated he is much more effective on the campaign trail than many judge him to be in Westminster - witness his two victories in Labour leadership contests. He’ll be carrying a message that will definitely resonate with a section of the country. As my colleague Jessica Elgot put it: “Corbyn launches his campaign with attack on elites and establishment. May launched hers dropping into a golf club in a helicopter.”

12.05pm BST

12:05

Welcome to our social

Sarah Marsh

Hello everyone and welcome to our weekly social. Today we will tackle everything from the general election to some less serious and political subjects, such as The Simpsons. Join us below the line, and make your suggestions for what you want to cover from noon to 4.30pm BST today.

Updated

at 12.08pm BST