Britons headed to the polls Thursday in a general election widely expected to emphatically return the opposition Labour party to power and end nearly a decade-and-a-half of Conservative rule.

The country’s first national ballot since Boris Johnson won a landslide for the Tories in 2019 follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s surprise call to hold it six months earlier than required.

His gamble looks set to backfire spectacularly, with polls throughout the six-week campaign — and for the last two years — pointing to a heavy defeat for his right-wing party.

That would almost certainly put Labour leader Keir Starmer, 61, in Downing Street, as leader of the largest party in parliament.

Centre-left Labour is projected to win its first general election since 2005 by historic proportions, with a flurry of election-eve polls all forecasting its biggest-ever victory.

But Starmer was taking nothing for granted as he urged voters not to stay at home. “Britain’s future is on the ballot,” he said. “But change will only happen if you vote for it.”

Long night

Voting began at 7:00 am 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.

At 10:00 pm, broadcasters then announce exit polls, which typically provide an accurate picture of how the main parties have performed.

Results from the UK’s 650 constituencies trickle in overnight, with the winning party expected to hit 326 seats — the threshold for a parliamentary majority — as dawn breaks Friday.

Polls suggest voters will punish the Tories after 14 years of often chaotic rule and could oust a string of government ministers, with talk that even Sunak himself might not be safe.

That would make him the first sitting prime minister not to retain his seat in a general election.

“I appreciate people have frustrations with our party,” he conceded on Wednesday. “But tomorrow’s vote… is a vote about the future.”

Endorsements

Sunak, 44, is widely seen as having run a dismal campaign, with anger over his decision to leave D-Day commemorations in France early the standout moment.

In new blows Wednesday, 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.

Meanwhile, three large-scale surveys indicated Labour was on the brink of a record victory, with the Tories set for their worst-ever result and the centrist Liberal Democrats resurgent in third.

YouGov, Focaldata and More in Common all projected Labour would secure at least 430 seats, topping the 418 under Tony Blair in 1997.

The Conservatives could plunge to a record low of less than 127, the trio predicted.

The Lib Dems were tipped to scoop dozens of seats — up from their current tally of 15 — while Nigel Farage’s anti-immigrant Reform UK party was set to win a handful.

YouGov and More in Common both forecast the Brexit figurehead would finally become an MP at the eighth time of asking.

‘National renewal’

If the predictions are accurate, Sunak will on Friday visit head of state King Charles III to tender his resignation as prime minister.

Starmer will meet the monarch shortly after to take up his invitation to head the next government — and become prime minister.

The Labour leader will then travel to Downing Street — the office and residence of British leaders — where he would be expected to deliver a speech before making ministerial appointments.

It would cap a remarkable political rise for the former human rights lawyer and chief prosecutor, first elected an MP in 2015.

He has promised a “decade of national renewal” but faces a daunting task revitalising creaking public services and a flatlining economy.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

A day after the BJP submitted a notice against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha over alleged inaccuracies in his speech, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said any member trying to mislead the House will not get away easily and the “rules will get them”.

Mr Rijiju was referring to a notice submitted in Lok Sabha by BJP member Bansuri Swaraj urging the Speaker to take cognisance of her notice against certain inaccuracies in Mr Gandhi’s speech on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.

“When the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha kept on lying about many things, including facts and figures, a notice was put to the Speaker and we have requested the Speaker to take appropriate action. We are waiting for the action,” Mr Rijiju said in response to questions on the issue.

The minister said rules apply equally to everyone as no member is above the Chair in the House.

“Nobody can expect to escape. There is no special privilege for anyone just because he comes from a privileged family,” Mr Rijiju said.

“If anybody wants to misuse the position in the House to mislead the House, he will not easily get away. Rule will get them,” the Parliamentary Affairs minister said.

After Mr Gandhi’s speech on Monday on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Mr Rijiju accused the Congress leader of making “untruthful” claims about a host of issues, including the Agnipath scheme and the compensation paid to locals in Ayodhya.

Under Direction 115 of the Speaker, a member wishing to point out any mistake or inaccuracy in a statement made by a minister or any other member can, before referring to the matter in the House, write to the Speaker pointing out the particulars of the mistake or the inaccuracy and seek permission to raise the issue.

The member may place before the Speaker such evidence that she or he has in support of the allegation.

The Speaker can bring the matter to the notice of the minister or the member concerned to ascertain the factual position. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In just over two weeks, Bihar has experienced its 10th bridge collapse, with the latest incident in Saran involving a 15-year-old bridge over the Gandaki river. This marks the third collapse in Saran within 24 hours, impacting connections between villages and the Siwan district. District Magistrate Aman Samir has ordered a high-level probe, considering recent desilting work and heavy rainfall as potential causes. Bridges in Janta Bazar and Lahladpur also collapsed on Wednesday. Similar incidents in Siwan, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj total 10 collapses in 16 days.