dpa
London
Voting in the United Kingdom’s general election was in final hours on Thursday evening, with opinion polls suggesting the centre-left Labour party is on course to secure a big majority in the House of Commons and form a new government, after 14 years in opposition.
Millions of people were to cast their vote between 7am and 10pm (2100 GMT). An exit poll, published shortly after 10pm, will provide the first indication of how the election has gone on a national level. The first of the 650 seats are likely to declare their results from 11.30pm.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has insisted the results are not a foregone conclusion despite dire poll ratings for his Conservative party, voted in his Richmond constituency. He waved at reporters as he and his wife Akshata Murty arrived hand-in-hand at the Kirby Sigston Village Hall, as he hopes to be returned to Parliament as the MP for Richmond and Northallerton.
Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer was also joined by his wife, Victoria, as he visited a polling station in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency.
Both made their final appeals to voters on Wednesday after touring the country since the election was called.
Sunak said the election represents a “pivotal moment” for the country’s future as he claimed Labour would “wield their unchecked power” to increase taxes should they secure a “supermajority.” “This underdog will fight to the final whistle,” Sunak said.
Starmer said the UK “cannot afford” five more years under the Conservatives, adding Britain can “begin a new chapter” under his party. He said: “Britain’s future is on the ballot.” Starmer was also cheered by activists as he spoke at a community centre in Redditch, Worcestershire, as his campaigning came to a close.
He said: “That’s what we are fighting for, let’s continue that fight. If you want change, you have to vote for it.” As the bookies’ favourite to be the next prime minister, Starmer said he was pleased with Labour’s campaign and his party was “ready for what comes next”.
An average of all polls completed during the seven days to July 3 puts Labour on 39 percent, the party’s lowest rating since the campaign began, 18 points ahead of the Conservatives on 21 percent, followed by the right-wing populist Reform UK on 16 percent, the centrist Liberal Democrats on 11 percent and the Greens on 6 percent.
The Conservatives are up slightly on the figures for the previous week while Labour are down, with the averages for the seven days to June 26 being Labour 41 percent, Conservatives 20 percent, Reform 16 percent, Lib Dems 11 percent and Greens 6 percent.
