General Election: Highest turnout since 1997

Turnout has been calculated at 66%

Polling stations will be open on the day of the election from 7am until 10pm (Hackney Town Hall NOT PICTURED) (PA)

As the final 30 seats are counted, the turnout for this year's General Election has been calculated at 66 per cent.

This is an increase on the 2010 election, which saw 65 per cent of the population turning out to vote.

Voter turnout had, however, been expected to be higher this year, due to the close nature of this year's race.

The number of people voting was the highest recorded since Tony Blair's landslide victory in 1997, when 71.4% of the population voted.

Turnout has been particularly high in Scotland, with figures suggesting that 71.1% of the population headed to the polls - leading to significant gains for the SNP.