THERESA May has faced criticism from the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator who said the Prime Minister was motivated by party political considerations rather than the national interest in calling a general election.

Guy Verhofstadt also said the result of the snap election on June 8 will be an irrelevance in Brussels.

The former Belgian prime minister, who will play a key role in the Brexit negotiations, described the election announced by May as “an attempted power grab by the Conservative party, who wish to take advantage of a Labour party seemingly in disarray to secure another five years of power, before the reality of Brexit bites.”

May also came under fire from former party chairman Norman Tebbit after she said that Britain’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of its gross national income on foreign aid spending “will remain”.

He said: "It is a very bad start to the campaign to insist on increasing aid every year whilst there is not sufficient money for the NHS. It does not seem to make good politics to me."

In Scotland, politicians have stepped up campaigning across the country as their parties came a step closer to drawing up a list of General Election candidates.

The SNP’s 54 sitting MPs will seek reelection, it was announced yesterday, while Scottish Labour – which has just one remaining MP in Scotland – is now sifting through a raft of 150 potential candidates.

The Conservatives vowed to “put their strongest team out on the pitch” as they select candidates who will bid to join sole Scots MP David Mundell at Westminster.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats announced all-women shortlists in some target seats as they attempt to achieve a gender balance north of the border.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, who sought candidates on social network Twitter, said: “Applications have flooded in from across the country to stand in this election, such is the determination of Labour members to work tirelessly to kick Theresa May out of office and elect Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister.”

Sturgeon turned her attention to the local elections yesterday, when she visited a housing development in Stenhousemuir.

The First Minister said: "We believe that everyone in Scotland deserves a warm, affordable home. That is why SNP councils will commit to three key pledges to ensure everyone has access to a safe home."

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, launched a dual campaign poster in Edinburgh which underlined opposition to a second independence referendum, with the slogan: "We said no, we meant it."

Dugdale campaigned in South Queensferry, while Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie walked the streets of Dundee.

Rennie said: "In Dundee we have fantastic candidates taking the fight straight towards the SNP in their heartlands and come May we are ready to claim a few scalps."