GUWAHATI: The UK's general election polls opened today, with the opposition Labour party the heavy favourite to gain power and end 14 years of conservative rule.
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Polls opened at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and will close at 10:00 pm, with a total of 650 seats in the House of Commons. Even before in-person voting began, hundreds of thousands of people had cast their ballot by postal vote, according to AP.
An exit poll at 10 pm, after voting concludes, will provide the first indication of the outcome, with detailed results expected early Friday.
Voting will be held in more than 40,000 polling stations across the country, from church halls, community centres and schools to more unusual venues such as pubs and even a ship.
Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak was among the early voters, casting his ballot at his Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire, northern England. Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, and Victoria Starmer, his wife, arrived in London to cast their votes.
Opinion polls for this year's UK Election indicate that the centre-left Labour Party is poised for a historic victory in Thursday's election. This would potentially end 14 years of Conservative rule and place Starmer in the prime minister's office at 10 Downing Street by Friday morning. YouGov's final seat projection, released on Wednesday, suggests Labour is on course to win a majority of 212 seats, the largest of any party in modern history.
On the final day of campaigning, both Labour leader Starmer and Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned voters of severe economic repercussions should the other candidate win.
Key Information: UK Elections 2024
Who is Labour Party's candidate Keir Starmer?
Keir Starmer, 61, a Labour Party candidate standing against Rishi Sunak in the UK Election 2024, assumed leadership of the party in 2020 following its worst electoral defeat in 84 years in 2019 under veteran left-wing figure Jeremy Corbyn. He focused on shaping Labour as a party known for competence and pragmatism rather than being driven primarily by ideology. He was named after Keir Hardie, the founder of the Labour Party.
Starmer's campaign has centred on a simple promise of 'change', which resonates with public dissatisfaction over Britain's strained public services and declining living standards. These are symptoms of a sluggish economy and political uncertainty.
Know some key points:
- The UK will vote to reflect on Rishi Sunak's 20 months in office, as well as the tenures of the four Conservative prime ministers who preceded him. It is widely anticipated that for the first time since 2005, the electorate will choose a Labour Party government.
- British general elections are determined by individual votes in 650 districts, each representing a seat in the House of Commons. A party needs 326 seats for a majority, though about 320 seats typically suffice because the speaker and three deputies do not vote. Northern Ireland’s Sinn Fein abstains from taking their seats in Westminster.
- The Sun newspaper switched allegiance to Labour -- a key endorsement given the tabloid has backed the winner at every election for several decades.
It follows the Financial Times, the Economist and The Sunday Times as well as traditionally left-leaning papers The Guardian and The Daily Mirror, also endorsing the party.
- Sunak has tried to convince voters that his 20 months in office have set the economy on a positive trajectory, and has marked the end of years of turmoil under his Conservative predecessors. Facing an approximately 20-point deficit in opinion polls against Labour, Sunak turned to former prime minister Boris Johnson.
- Many election experts predict a low voter turnout, below the 67% recorded in 2019. However, this election could bring significant change to Britain if it results in a large Labour majority and a weakened Conservative Party.
What is the majority mark?
Candidates are being fielded for 650 constituencies across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with 326 required for a majority in the first past the post system.
