General election – live: Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak join millions voting across UK today
Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have visited their polling stations, as has former PM Boris Johnson
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Millions of people across the country are heading to polling stations to vote in a general election that could deliver a major shake-up of British politics and end 14 years of Conservative government.
The prime minister was up early to cast his ballot alongside his wife Akshata Murty in his North Yorkshire constituency and Keir Starmer, who appeared all smiles, cast his ballot accompanied by his wife Victoria in London.
Former Boris Johnson made an appearance in his constituency, where he urged supporters to vote against “nightmare” wokery and tax rises he claims would come with a future Labour government.
A major poll for The Independent yesterday suggested Rishi Sunak would lead the Conservatives to the worst defeat in history with only 82 seats.
If the forecast is accurate, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and defence secretary Grant Shapps are among the veteran Conservatives set to be ousted.
Sir Keir could enter the doors of Number 10 triumphant, with an unprecedented 272-seat majority behind him, polls suggest.
Tories heading for armageddon as bombshell poll suggests Rishi Sunak will win just 82 seats
Tories concede defeat with 24 hours until general election polls open
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for Rishi Sunak… he goes on This Morning
The Tory attack on Starmer’s ‘family night’ Fridays is a warning to mothers everywhere
Sad dogs and fake TV broadcasts dominate political ads as parties launch last-minute election blitz
Pinned: How to vote in the General Election - From finding a polling station to filling out your ballot
Voters in the UK are visiting polling stations up and down the country to have their say in which political party they want to represent their area and country.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the snap general election at the end of May, sparking six frantic weeks of political campaigning. June has seen leaders, candidates and activists fight for every last vote: knocking on doors, taking part in televised debates, and trying to avoid controversy.
Polling suggests the election will mark the end of 14 years of Conservative governance, with Labour flying ahead in projected voting intention. Some also predict smaller parties like the Lib Dems, Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK could pick up record seats.
The true picture will remain unclear until July 5, when the UK will wake up to a new administration. Before that, the electorate must take to their local polling stations to cast their votes (if they have not done so already via a postal vote).
To ensure everyone gets a fair and equal chance to participate in this democratic process, there are a number of rules in place which must be followed in and around polling stations.
Here’s everything you need to know about polling day:
How to vote in the election today: Finding a polling station and filling in a ballot
Here’s everything you need to know about voting in the general election
Nigel Farage votes in Clacton hoping to become MP for the first time
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has voted in his constituency in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.
The right-wing politician initially announced he would not run in the general election, then changed his mind because he couldn’t “let down millions of people”.
A wave of scandals hit his party over the last few weeks, including a party campaigner calling prime minister Rishi Sunak a racial slur.
This is the eighth time Mr Farage attempts to become MP.
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer votes in Bristol
Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, walked to vote at Redland Park United Reformed Church on Whiteladies Road in Bristol, on Thursday morning.
Ms Denyer, wearing a striped dress, dark green cardigan and green rosette, was accompanied by supporters for the walk to the polling station.
She greeted photographers and reporters outside the church, situated in a busy shopping area of Bristol, before going inside to cast her vote.
The Bristol Central candidate, a former councillor for the Clifton Down ward, then came outside and posed for photographs before walking away with supporters.
Penny Mordaunt set to hang up her sword, poll suggests
The leader of the house, Penny Mordaunt, has been a popular figure in the Conservative party over the last few years, having stood for the leadership twice in 2023, Alexander Butler reports.
Ms Mordaunt held several senior government positions under Theresa May’s leadership, including defence secretary and international development secretary.
The Commons leader, who carried the sword at King Charles’ coronation, is now on track to lose her seat to Labour in the constituency of Portsmouth North, where she has served as the MP since 2010, according to the polls.
Swinney: Vote for a better future
Scottish First Minister John Swinney has made a final pitch to convince voters while millions cast their ballots.
The SNP leader previously said seats across Scotland are on a “knife-edge” and some results could be decided by just a “handful” of votes.
He described the outcome in England as a “foregone conclusion”, but said each vote in Scotland could make “all the difference”. Posting on X, he said: “I’m SNP for a future made in Scotland - because it’s up to the people who live in Scotland, and nobody else, to shape where we’re going.”
It comes as Scottish voters were particularly hit by the postal voting chaos that saw many reportedly unable to vote because of the delays.
Mr Swinney called for a review of the timetable for general election after slamming the prime minister for scheduling the 2024 contest during Scottish school summer holidays.
A look back: The Largest UK general election majority in history
The record for the largest majority won by a single party at a general election since 1900 is 210, set in 1924 by the Conservatives, Ian Jones reports.
The election of 1900 was the first of its kind to be contested by the recently-formed Labour Party, as well as the long-established Conservative and Liberal parties, and as such can be seen as the first general election of the modern political era.
Even larger majorities have been won by coalitions of parties.
A three-party National government, made up mostly of Conservatives along with small portions of the Labour and Liberal parties, won a majority of 242 at the 1935 election.
Four years earlier in 1931, the same National government won a majority of 492: the biggest ever parliamentary majority at a general election in modern political history.
Sir Ed Davey and his wife vote in west London
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and his wife, Emily, have visited a polling station in Surbiton to vote.
Sir Ed said “good morning everybody” to the assembled media and waved to the cameras.
As the pair prepared to enter Surbiton Hill Methodist Church, a voter left the polling station and wished Sir Ed “good luck”.
Immigration set to be hotly debated as voters seek action
Immigration consistently comes in third place in recent polling on voter priorities and is set to be a key battleground in the election campaign, Jonathan Bunn reports.
The Government’s Rwanda Bill became law last month, paving the way for deportation flights to get off the ground.
This policy and Tory talk of limits on legal migration show the Government is committed to taking a hard line on the issue, despite the risk of alienating more moderate voters.
Meanwhile, Labour has said it is also looking to reduce the reliance on overseas workers and backs a points-based immigration system which it says “would work for workers and businesses”.
Sir Keir Starmer has been treading carefully on the issue of small boats, saying crossings needed to be reduced “materially” without setting a target.
He said a Labour government would expand counter-terror powers to cover people-smuggling gangs and create a new Border Security Command to co-ordinate efforts to halt the crossings.
Rishi Sunak said stopping the boats was one of his five priorities last year, but the number of migrants to have arrived in the UK in small boats across the Channel in 2024 is already approaching the 10,000 mark.
With crossings continuing, the Conservatives may have to rely on the symbolic impact of at least one flight to Rwanda rather than firm evidence that the policy is working.
Aldi UK jokes about election for Cake Constituency MP
Aldi UK has made a Facebook post featuring a ballot for electing an MP for a fictionary Cake Constituency, writing: “Democracy has never been sweeter #GeneralElection2024”.
The featured parties include “The People’s Party”, “Legally a Different Party”, “The Overpriced Avocado Party”, “The Co-operative Party”, “Clubcard Members Party”, “The Attempted Price Match Party”, and “Just Here for a Good Time Party”.
The post received more than 200 comments in half an hour, with one commenter writing: “Best ballot paper ever.”
Another commenter remarked: “You are sooo naughty, Aldi! Love it!”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments