LONDON: The future of Rishi Sunak – the first British PM of Indian origin who is facing anti-incumbency sentiments after 14 years of Conservative govt – hangs in the balance as millions of voters cast their ballots in a historic general election on Thursday.
Sunak (44) and the man who wants his job, Labour’s leader Keir Starmer (61), were among the early voters from an estimated 46 million registered voters as around 40,000 polling booths opened across the country at 7am (local time).
Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty walked hand-in-hand to their polling booth in his constituency of Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire, northern England. A little later, Starmer and wife Victoria were at their polling station in Camden, north London, sporting Labour red “Today, Britain can begin a new chapter,” Starmer told voters. “We cannot afford five more years under Conservatives.”
Sunak, meanwhile, took to social media to drive home his message: “Polls are open. It’s time to stop the Labour supermajority that would mean higher taxes for the rest of your life.” The first national ballot since Boris Johnson won the Tories a decisive victory in 2019 follows Sunak’s surprise call to hold an election 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 Conservative g party.
Voting closes at 10pm local time or 2.30am IST. 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 govt ministers, with talk that even Sunak’s seat might not be safe. That would make him the first sitting prime minister not to retain his seat in a general election.
If opinion polls are to be believed, the incumbent Tories are in line to win anywhere between 53 and 150 seats, with Labour projected to win a landslide. YouGov, Focaldata and More in Common all projected Labour would secure at least 430 seats, topping the 418 under Tony Blair in 1997. And if the predictions come true, Starmer will take over as PM, the first Labour politician after Gordon Brown to enter 10 Downing Street since 2010. However, he played down the prospect of a landslide win for fear of a low voter turnout impacting the final outcome.
Other contenders like 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.
Pollsters have forecast a low turnout, which was 67% in the 2019 polls. It’s the first general election at which you must bring photo ID to vote in person – and the first July election since 1945. The Elections Act introduced by Johnson in 2022 was enforced, ironically, earlier this year when the ex-PM tried to vote without ID in a local election in South Oxfordshire. He was turned away, but returned later with his ID.
Sunak (44) and the man who wants his job, Labour’s leader Keir Starmer (61), were among the early voters from an estimated 46 million registered voters as around 40,000 polling booths opened across the country at 7am (local time).
Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty walked hand-in-hand to their polling booth in his constituency of Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire, northern England. A little later, Starmer and wife Victoria were at their polling station in Camden, north London, sporting Labour red “Today, Britain can begin a new chapter,” Starmer told voters. “We cannot afford five more years under Conservatives.”
Sunak, meanwhile, took to social media to drive home his message: “Polls are open. It’s time to stop the Labour supermajority that would mean higher taxes for the rest of your life.” The first national ballot since Boris Johnson won the Tories a decisive victory in 2019 follows Sunak’s surprise call to hold an election 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 Conservative g party.
Voting closes at 10pm local time or 2.30am IST. 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 govt ministers, with talk that even Sunak’s seat might not be safe. That would make him the first sitting prime minister not to retain his seat in a general election.
If opinion polls are to be believed, the incumbent Tories are in line to win anywhere between 53 and 150 seats, with Labour projected to win a landslide. YouGov, Focaldata and More in Common all projected Labour would secure at least 430 seats, topping the 418 under Tony Blair in 1997. And if the predictions come true, Starmer will take over as PM, the first Labour politician after Gordon Brown to enter 10 Downing Street since 2010. However, he played down the prospect of a landslide win for fear of a low voter turnout impacting the final outcome.
Other contenders like 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.
Pollsters have forecast a low turnout, which was 67% in the 2019 polls. It’s the first general election at which you must bring photo ID to vote in person – and the first July election since 1945. The Elections Act introduced by Johnson in 2022 was enforced, ironically, earlier this year when the ex-PM tried to vote without ID in a local election in South Oxfordshire. He was turned away, but returned later with his ID.