Voters head to polls for UK general election

This victory would grant Keir Starmer the largest majority for any single party since 1832, with YouGov's last MRP (multi-level regression and post-stratification) suggesting the vote will break a series of electoral records. Labour is set to win an unprecedented 431 seats, the highest in the party's history, surpassing Tony Blair's peak of 419 seats in 1997. This achievement would mark Starmer as the most successful Labour leader in electoral terms, a significant leap from the 202 seats achieved by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour in 2019.

The Conservative Party faces a dramatic downturn, projected to win only 102 seats, a sharp decline from the 365 seats secured under Boris Johnson in 2019. This would be a substantial reduction from the 165 seats won under Sir John Major in 1997. The Liberal Democrats, under Sir Ed Davey, are projected to achieve 72 seats, surpassing their previous peak of 62 seats in 2005 under Charles Kennedy.

Nigel Farage's Reform UK is set to secure three seats, while the Greens are poised to win two seats. The SNP is expected to see a significant reduction, dropping from 48 seats in 2019 to 18 seats.

In what may be his last question-and-answer session as prime minister, Rishi Sunak addressed journalists at a primary school in Hampshire, striking a tone that was both determined and reflective as he reviewed his tenure. Sunak emphasized his commitment to accountability, asserting he will "take full responsibility" for the upcoming election results.

During the session, Sunak avoided the pessimistic outlooks offered by some of his Conservative colleagues, such as Mel Stride and Suella Braverman, who have suggested that the party faces a significant challenge in the upcoming election. When asked if he was the only Conservative who had not resigned to defeat, Sunak firmly responded, “No, that’s definitely not right.”

The UK is holding its first general election in almost half a decade on Thursday, with opinion polls indicating an imminent change of guard as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party battles for survival.