I have just
chaired a meeting
of the Cabinet, where we agreed that the Government should call a general election, to be held on June 8.
我刚刚主持了内阁会议，会上我们一致同意政府应该举行大选，时间定于6月8日。
I want to explain the reasons for that decision, what will happen next and the choice facing the British people when you come to vote in this election.
我想解释一下做出这个决定的原因，接下来会发生什么，以及英国人民在为这次大选投票时将面临的选择。
Last summer, after the country voted to leave the European Union, Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership, and since I became Prime Minister the Government has delivered precisely that.
去年夏天，在公投离开欧盟后，英国需要确定性、稳定性和强大的领导力，自我担任首相以来，政府做到了这些。
Despite predictions of immediate financial and economic danger, since the referendum we have seen consumer confidence remain high, record numbers of jobs, and economic growth that has exceeded all expectations.
尽管有预测称，英国很快将出现金融和经济危险，但自公投以来，我们看到了消费者的信心依然很高，就业率创新高，经济增长也超出了所有预期。
We have also
delivered on the mandate
that we were handed by the referendum result. Britain is leaving the European Union and
there can be no turning back
.
我们也执行了公投结果交付我们的命令。英国正在脱离欧盟，没有回头路可走。
And as we look to the future, the Government has the right plan for negotiating our new relationship with Europe.
当我们展望未来，政府有正确的计划，为我们与欧洲的新关系展开谈判。
We want a deep and special partnership between a strong and successful European Union and a United Kingdom that is free to
chart its own way
in the world.
欧盟是强大且成功的，而英国即将在世界上自由展开自己的道路，我们希望这两者之间建立深入而特殊的伙伴关系。
That means we will regain control of our own money, our own laws and our own borders and we will be free to
strike trade deals
with old friends and new partners all around the world.
这意味着我们将恢复对英国的财政、法律和边界的控制，我们将与全球各地的老朋友以及新伙伴自由地签订贸易协定。
This is the right approach, and it is in the national interest. But the other political parties oppose it.
At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division
.
这才是正确的方式，符合国家的利益，但是其他政党却在反对它。在这个对国家来说意义重大的时刻，英国议会本应团结一致，可是如今却产生了分裂。
The country is coming together, but Westminster is not.
In recent weeks Labour has threatened to vote against the deal we reach with the European Union.
国家正在走向团结，但议会却不是。最近几周，工党一直威胁将会投票反对我们与欧盟达成的脱欧协议。
The Liberal Democrats have said they want to
grind
the business of government
to a standstill
. The Scottish National Party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britain's membership of the European Union.
自由民主党也表示，他们希望政府的运作陷入停顿状态；苏格兰民族党表示，他们将投票反对政府立法正式废除英国作为欧盟成员国的地位。
grind to a standstill: 陷入停顿
And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to
fight us every step of the way
. Our opponents believe that because the Government's majority is so small, our resolve will weaken and that they can force us to change course.
那些非选举产生的上议院议员，也发誓要反对我们每一步的行动。我们的政治对手认为，政府的多数席位优势并不明显，所以我们的决心会被削弱，他们可以迫使政府改变方向。
They are wrong. They under-estimate our determination to get the job done and I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of working people across the country.
他们错了。他们低估了我们完成这项任务的决心，而且我决不会任由他们危及全国上下数百万工薪阶层的安全。
Because what they are doing jeopardises the work we must do to prepare for Brexit at home and it weakens the Government's negotiating position in Europe.
因为他们这种做法将损害我们必将完成的事业，不仅影响国内脱欧的准备，同时也将削弱我们政府与欧洲谈判的立场。
If we do not hold a general election now their
political game-playing
will continue, and the negotiations with the European Union will reach their most difficult stage
in the run-up to the next scheduled election
.
如果现在不举行大选，他们玩的政治游戏仍将继续，那么我们与欧盟展开的脱欧谈判，将在原定的下一次大选拉开序幕前，进入到最困难的阶段。
run-up: 预备阶段
Division in Westminster will risk our ability to make a success of Brexit and it will cause damaging uncertainty and instability to the country.
议会的这种分歧，将影响我们成功脱欧，这也会在国内引发不确定性和不稳定性，对国家不利。
So we need a general election and we need one now, because we have at this moment
a one-off chance
to get this done while the European Union agrees its negotiating position and before the detailed talks begin.
因此，我们需要举行大选，而且现在就需要。因为我们只有一次机会，那就是现在——欧盟已明确了谈判立场，脱欧细节的探讨即将展开。
one-off: 一次性的
I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. Since I became Prime Minister I have said that there should be no election until 2020, but now I have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions I must take.
直到近期，我才并不情愿地得出这一结论。自从担任首相以来，我一直表示，2020年前不会提前举行大选。但是现在我已得出结论：为了确保英国未来几年的确定性和稳定性，唯一的方法就是举行这次选举，也恳请你们支持我必须作出的这个决定。
