Politics

Millions of UK voters heading to polls after leaders make final pitches of general election campaign



Voters are today heading to the polls to cast their ballots in what has been billed as the most important general election in a generation.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn last night made their dramatic final pitches as the race appeared to tighten in the final stretch before voting began at 7am.

The Prime Minister ended his campaign with an eve of polling day rally in London, telling voters the Tories would “finish what we started” and deliver Brexit.

And in his own last-ditch bid for support, Mr Corbyn stressed undecided voters had a “truly historic” choice to make to prevent the predicted Tory majority.

Jeremy Corbyn waves during a final general election campaign event in London (REUTERS)

Britons face a cold and wet day as they step out to cast their vote, with ice warnings in place and wintry showers expected.

The polls have narrowed in the final week of what has largely been a tame campaign – with few gaffes and many stage-managed visits.

On Monday Mr Johnson came under fire for his alleged lack of empathy when he pocketed a journalist’s phone after being asked to view a photograph of a four-year-old boy who was forced to sleep on a hospital floor .

2019 General Election: The campaign trail highlights

The following day, however, Labour’s campaign was rocked when a member of the shadow cabinet was revealed to have poured scorn on Mr Corbyn’s election chances in a leaked recording.

A terror attack on London Bridge – which echoed a similar incident in the middle of the 2017 election – briefly disrupted the campaign but quickly turned political as the Tories and Labour exchanged blows over how to deal with such threats.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at the Copper Box Arena on the final day of the general election campaign (Getty Images)

The third General Election in less than five years has been largely dominated by the 2016 vote to leave the European Union – with Labour pledging to give voters another say in a second referendum, while the Tories have vowed to take the UK out of the EU next month.

A poll by The Daily Telegraph and Savanta ComRes, published last night, placed the Tories five points ahead of Mr Corbyn’s party – indicating the potential for a Conservative majority or a hung parliament.

But a separate poll by Kantar put the Tories on 44 per cent, Labour on 32 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on 13 per cent.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks at a gathering as she canvasses on the final day of campaigning (AFP via Getty Images)

Voter turnout, however, could play a major role in the election outcome with rain, wind and chilly temperatures forecast for much of the country throughout the day.

In a final plea to voters on the eve of polling day, Mr Johnson warned that the election remained on a “knife edge”, but said it represented a chance to “end the gridlock”.

Five things to watch for on election night

“Today is our chance to unite as a country and put the uncertainty to bed so people can get on with their lives,” he told supporters in east London.

“Just imagine how wonderful it will be to settle down to a turkey dinner this Christmas with Brexit decided – and how awful it would be if Corbyn and Sturgeon were in Downing Street advancing their plans for two more referendums.

“Let’s stop the chaos and stop the referendums. We can secure a majority Conservative government if we win just nine more seats.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn prepares his speech before speaking at a rally in London last night (PA)

Mr Corbyn, meanwhile, stressed the “very profound” issues at stake.

“We’re literally at a fork in the road,” he told the party faithful at a rally in north east London.

“So when the election comes tomorrow it is a very clear choice. You go down the road of Boris Johnson, a sweetheart deal with Donald Trump, we break off any serious relationship with Europe.

“Or you go down the Labour way, which is the adult, responsible way, of negotiating a settlement which we will all live by, and I will make sure is carried out in a future relationship with Europe.

“But we also go down the road of investing in our country, investing to end austerity and redistributing wealth and power in our society in a way that’s never been seen before.”

Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson said the polls showed it was still “absolutely possible” to deny the Tories an overall majority through tactical voting.

“We know from past elections that, very often, voters who vote tactically come to that conclusion in the final hours before they cast their vote,” she said.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, speaking in Doncaster, said he was hoping for “very, very heavy rain” in the town on Thursday, in the belief that it would depress the votes of the other parties.

“I know that people who are going to vote for us will turn out, because they absolutely believe in our message, they believe in their hearts as well as in their heads,” he said.

 

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