World
UK general election: Voting under way in high-stakes poll
UK voters began registering ballots at polling stations at 7 am local time on Thursday morning, in the first UK general election since the country’s formal exit from the European Union. Stay up to date with the process with our live blog, bringing you the latest news until the final results tomorrow
The 650 seats in the House of Commons are up for grabs in an election that has already been forecast – even by some governing Conservatives – as likely to result in a Labour victory.
Conservative incumbent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak looks likely to be replaced by Labour leader Keir Starmer on the basis of polling leading up to the election.
We’ll track the day as it progresses and leaders of the key party factions vote, explaining how the voting system works and bringing up to the minute news as it trickles in.
Might the Tories suffer a historic defeat? Might the Liberal Democrats be able to seize a significant tranche of seats and claim as many seats the Conservatives in the new parliament? What will the result mean in Scotland, where Labour is looking to snatch influence from a scandal-stricken Scottish National Party? In Northern Ireland, will a changing political picture affect the future of the province and its delicate position straddling UK and EU politics.
Stay with us through to the first exit poll, which will be unveiled by British broadcasters at 11pm in Europe, and beyond as key results trickle through overnight and as leaders and commentators react to the unfolding drama.