SNP MPs will not attempt to block the Prime Minister's plans for an early general election.

A spokeswoman for the party told STV News the SNP have "no plans to stand in the way of the general election".

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister will table a motion to MPs which will read ""that there shall be an early parliamentary general election".

MPs will then vote on the motion. The SNP will decide if it will vote for it or abstain at a meeting of the party's 54 MPs at Westminster later on Tuesday.

May plans to hold the election on June 8.

The Prime Minister needs two-thirds of MPs to vote for the motion. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have both said they will not block the proposal.

SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called the decision to hold an early vote a "huge political miscalculation".

Sturgeon said: "This announcement is one of the most extraordinary U-turns in recent political history and it shows that Theresa May is once again putting the interests of her party ahead of those of the country.

"She is clearly betting that the Tories can win a bigger majority in England given the utter disarray in the Labour Party."

The First Minister added: "In terms of Scotland, this move is a huge political miscalculation by the Prime Minister.

"It will once again give people the opportunity to reject the Tories' narrow, divisive agenda, as well as reinforcing the democratic mandate which already exists for giving the people of Scotland a choice on their future."

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said her party is "optimistic" about winning more seats than the one they managed in 2015.

She said: "I very much welcome the Prime Minister's announcement. The Scottish Conservatives are ready for a campaign, we are organised and we are optimistic about the prospect of increasing our number of seats.

"In Scotland, we will have a clear election message - only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives will ensure we get the strong leadership we need to get the best Brexit deal for the whole country.

"And only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives will send a strong message that we oppose SNP's divisive plan for a second referendum."

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said her party is ready for the forthcoming election.

Dugdale said: "At this election, the choice again will be clear: a Tory Party intent on a hard and damaging Brexit or a Labour Party that will oppose a second independence referendum and fight for a better future for everybody.

"The Labour Party is ready and has been preparing for a general election. We will start the process of selecting our candidates this afternoon."

Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie said his party was "relishing the prospect of this election".

He said: "It is a chance to change the direction of the whole of the UK.

"Our optimistic agenda is pro-UK, pro-EU and progressive. We stand with the majority opinion in this country.

"At this election we will stand proud for a United Kingdom within the European single market."

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green co-convener, said: "Brexit is a mess of the Tory party's making and they are calling this election for much the same self-serving reasons as the EU referendum itself."