Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak cast their votes as UK goes to the polls

4 July 2024, 10:54 | Updated: 4 July 2024, 11:10

Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria arrive at a polling station in London. (R) Rishi Sunak casting his vote on Thursday morning with wife Akshata Murty.
Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria arrive at a polling station in London. (R) Rishi Sunak casting his vote on Thursday morning with wife Akshata Murty. Picture: Alamy

By Asher McShane

Polling stations across the UK have opened as millions of voters have their say at the General Election after weeks of campaigning.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Polls opened at 7am and voters will have until 10pm to cast their ballots.

It is the first General Election where voters will need to show photographic ID before they can receive their ballot paper following a law change in 2022.

An exit poll, published shortly after 10pm on Thursday, will provide the first indication of how the election has gone on a national level.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and wife Victoria arrive at a polling station to cast their vote in London
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and wife Victoria arrive at a polling station to cast their vote in London. Picture: Alamy

These take place at polling stations across the country, with tens of thousands of people asked to privately fill in a replica ballot as they leave, to get an indication of how they voted.

The first of the 650 seats are likely to declare their results from 11.30pm.

Read more: Tourists in Marbella to be fined €750 if they urinate in the sea after strict summer rules approved

Read more: British man, 31, who was with missing Jay Slater at Airbnb before he vanished insists 'he left house alive'

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty leave their local polling station
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty leave their local polling station. Picture: Alamy
  • Join LBC for Britain Decides our election night coverage, starting Thursday at 10pm. Our flagship program will be led by Andrew Marr and Shelagh Fogarty, with The News Agents' Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall providing expert analysis as results unfold.
  • This comprehensive seven-hour show will be broadcast live on LBC, Global Player, TikTok, and YouTube, with a simulcast on LBC News. Stay tuned for real-time updates and insightful commentary throughout this pivotal night in British politics.

Party leaders have made their final appeals to voters after touring the country since the election was called.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the first leader to cast their vote on Thursday morning, arriving with wife Akshata Murty at a polling station in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty casting their votes at a polling station in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty casting their votes at a polling station in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Picture: Alamy

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also cast his ballot in north London with wife Victoria shortly before 10am.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also cast his vote this morning in Surbiton, saying: "It's a beautiful day. I hope lots of people come out to vote."

Mr Sunak said Thursday represents a "pivotal moment" for the country's future as he claimed Labour would "wield their unchecked power" to increase taxes should they secure a "supermajority".

Rishi Sunak with local parliamentary candidate Paul Holmes  knocking on doors on the General Election campaign trail
Rishi Sunak with local parliamentary candidate Paul Holmes knocking on doors on the General Election campaign trail. Picture: Alamy

Mr Sunak said "morning" and waved at reporters as he entered Kirby Sigston Village Hall in Northallerton.

In his final stump speech on Wednesday evening, Mr Sunak said: "This underdog will fight to the final whistle."

The Prime Minister called on Tory activists to continue campaigning, claiming they had "urgent work to do" to "save the UK" from a Labour government.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the UK "cannot afford" five more years under the Conservatives, adding Britain can "begin a new chapter" under his party.

A woman walks past a polling station in London
A woman walks past a polling station in London. Picture: Alamy

He said: "Britain's future is on the ballot."

Sir Keir was also cheered by activists as he spoke at a community centre in Redditch, Worcestershire, as his campaigning came to a close.

He said: "That's what we are fighting for, let's continue that fight.

"If you want change, you have to vote for it."

As the bookies' favourite to be the next prime minister, Sir Keir said he was pleased with Labour's campaign and his party was "ready for what comes next".

Ending a campaign that was dominated by headline-catching stunts, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey drove off in a pink Cadillac convertible with his deputy Daisy Cooper after his last election campaign stop.

The Lib Dem leader gave a stump speech at Hammond's End Farm in Harpenden to the tune of ABBA's Take A Chance On Me.

Sir Ed said he had enjoyed the campaign, which saw him travel the entire length of the UK, cover 6,000 miles on the Lib Dem's Yellow Hammer One bus and bungee 160 feet.

He added: "Communities are angry. The water companies have been allowed to pour their filthy sewage into our rivers, lakes and onto our beaches. This has to change. The Conservatives have got to go."

North of the border, Scotland's First Minister has urged "every single SNP voter" to turn out on Thursday in what he said will be an "incredibly close" contest throughout the country.

Addressing supporters at a pre-election rally in Leith on Wednesday evening, John Swinney said the Conservatives were going to be "heavily defeated" by the Labour Party in England, but that there were "narrow margins" between Labour and the SNP north of the border

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Donald Trump after casting his vote on Tuesday

Donald Trump claims he's 'very confident' of victory in US election race after casting his ballot

Conor McGregor has been accused of raping and choking a woman in a Dublin hotel

Conor McGregor accused of raping and choking woman after snorting cocaine

The ex-Manchester City footballer married Stephen Darby in 2018, a few months before he was diagnosed with the condition

Ex-Lioness captain Steph Houghton reveals husband's 'life-changing' operation amid MND battle

Underground train, Barbican Tube Station, Smithfield, England, United Kingdom

Tube drivers call off planned London Underground strikes after improved pay offer

Playa de los Pocillos puerto del carmen Lanzarote, Canary Islands, spain

British tourist, 34, found dead on beach in Lanzarote

Trump and Harris go head to head

US Election night guide: What time do polls close and who is favourite to win?

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had only just turned 12 when he took part in the violent disorder

Britain's youngest rioter: Boy who had just turned 12 sentenced for involvement in violent disorder

The 170-metre red bridge over wetlands in Canada Water, south-east London, opened last week

Security guards to stop cyclists from using bright red ‘wildlife boardwalk’ at £3.3bn London housing development

Rubert Gispin was visiting flood-hit parts of his native Valencia

Spanish influencer defends ‘shameful’ decision to deliberately cover himself in mud in Valencia’s flood damaged streets

Sara Sharif's father denies murdering the 10-year-old.

Father claims he begged to save Sara Sharif before being told ‘Leave it, she’s dead’

Queen Camilla is unwell with a chest infection and has withdrawn from her engagements this week

The Queen withdraws from engagements this week after being taken ill, Buckingham Palace announces

Tesco customers are furious after being forced to wait hours to book a Christmas delivery slot.

'It's like getting Beyonce tickets': Fury as Tesco shoppers face 'ridiculous' online queues for Christmas delivery slots

Ladbaby has broken its silence on historic allegations of gripping.

Charity chart-topper Ladbaby breaks his silence on 'groping' allegations

Labour MP Chris Webb 'attacked and mugged' near London flat by phone snatching gang

Labour MP Chris Webb 'attacked and mugged' near London flat by phone snatching gang

The White House has been barricaded and restaurants and stores boarded up as tensions rise over the election.

Washington DC braces for unrest as White House is barricaded and stores boarded up ahead of US election

Sir Chris Hoy said 'if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor' for screening

Sir Chris Hoy calls for men to be offered prostate cancer screening from the age of 45 after his terminal diagnosis