As polling stations across the United Kingdom opened for voting on Thursday in the historic snap general elections, attention turns to how issues such as the economy, tax policies, and immigration will influence the outcome for contenders, including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Polling commenced at 7 am local time today and will continue until 10 pm.
In a post on X, Sunak wrote, “The polls are open. Vote Conservative to stop the Labour supermajority which would mean higher taxes for a generation.”
ANI reported, across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, voters in 650 constituencies will cast their ballots in the election. A party must secure at least 326 out of the 650 parliamentary seats to have its leader become the prime minister.
The status of Britain's public services, the cost of living, taxes, immigration, and the economy will remain major subjects, around which much of the debate during the campaigns have revolved, according to CNN.
The topic of Britain's relationship with the European Union, from which it exited in 2020 following a referendum held four years earlier, has largely been overlooked in the current discussions.
In late May of this year, Sunak unexpectedly called for a snap election, catching many within his party by surprise.
It is under the leadership of Keir Starmer, that the opposition Labour party has recovered from its worst defeat since 1935 in the last general election.
Since Boris Johnson easily won the most recent general election in 2019, Britain has had three prime ministers from the Conservative party.
However, a large portion of the nation and his party lost interest in Johnson, and in 2022, members of the Conservative party chose Liz Truss to succeed him as prime minister, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history, CNN reported.
After Theresa May resigned, Sunak was elected by Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs) to succeed her.
Nigel Farage, one of the most prominent advocates of Brexit, announced during the campaign his return to politics to lead the newly formed hard-right Reform UK party.
Today, Sunak, Starmer, Farage, and leaders from other major parties are anticipated to visit local polling stations throughout the day.
Forecasts indicate that the election will likely result in a Labour majority after more than a decade of Conservative governance, spanning five leaders, including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
However, there is growing division as the hard-right party Reform, led by populist Nigel Farage, appears poised to build on its performance from the 2019 elections, when it was known as the Brexit Party.
Over the past 15 years, the UK has experienced its worst income growth in generations, as reported by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
Moreover, Britons have been grappling with a cost-of-living crisis amid rising prices and stagnant salaries. The Conservative and Labour parties have outlined contrasting strategies to address the economic challenges.
(With inputs from ANI)
