Voting is underway in the first December election for almost a century, with the political futures of both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn hanging in the balance.
Polling stations are open across the UK until 10pm in the third general election since 2015 and the results are expected in the early hours of Friday.
An exit poll will also be unveiled at the close of polls – providing the first indication of the result.
Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load
The effects of austerity will ripple on for years to come - May Bulman
On the stage of the Conservative conference last year, Theresa May pledged to end the Conservatives’ austerity measures, declaring: “The British people need to know that the end is in sight. And our message to them must be this: we get it.”
The then prime minster vowed that Brexit would bring an end to the public spending cuts introduced in the wake of the financial crash a decade ago. Whether austerity can be ended quite so easily is in itself a matter of debate, but when Ms May told the crowds in Birmingham that Britons’ “hard work had paid off”, what she didn’t acknowledge was that for many in the country it isn’t possible to move on from the damage wrought by her government’s policies.
Chancellor Sajid Javid votes in general election
Sajid Javid, who the prime minister guaranteed would remain at the Treasury if he wins the general election tonight, has posted an image of himself voting this afternoon in the general election.
General election: does the weather hold the key to who wins? - Sean O'Grady
One of the great unknowns in the general election (arguably, in fact, actually one of the few, given the Tories’ consistent and substantial lead) is turnout. Not since 1923 have we had an election in December; and not since 1974 have we had to go the polls in winter. The precedents are a bit sketchy, but it could private an important variable in this election.
Editorial: This election campaign has been nothing but a disappointment filled with fakery
"Even allowing for the way that politics has always been a dirty business, few general elections have been as disappointing as this one. Given the scale of the challenges facing the nation, and the momentous nature of the decisions that will be taken in the coming months and years, the dismal standard of debate, and in particular the prevalence of so much deliberately misleading and fraudulent material online has been deeply dispiriting. Our politics, with rare exceptions, have certainly failed to rise to the occasion."
One in four voters could still change their minds, eve-of-poll survey shows
Almost one in four voters remain undecided over which way to cast their ballot as the country heads to the polls for one of the most important elections in a generation.
The final Ipsos Mori poll puts Boris Johnson on course for an historic win, with 44 per cent of voters backing the Conservatives, 33 per cent for Labour and 12 per cent for the Liberal Democrats. Nigel Farage's Brexit Party has been squeezed to just 2 per cent, with the Greens on 3 per cent.
If the prediction is accurate, the Tories would win the largest share of the vote at an election since Margaret Thatcher's first victory in 1979.
Who should I vote for in the general election? A guide to all party manifestos in the UK
Final Say campaigners warn a Tory majority will destroy chance of a second referendum
The Vote for a Final Say campaign has created a bleak video imagining what would happen if the Conservatives win a majority - and how Remain voters could help the PM win if they don't vote tactically.
Best photos of dogs at polling stations across the UK
As polling stations opened on Thursday morning for what is being billed as the most important election in a generation, social media became awash with pictures of dogs.
The tradition of taking photos of pets obediently waiting for their owners to vote at polling stations is a trend that has taken the internet by storm in recent elections thanks to the #dogsatpollingstations hashtag.
And, while the third general election in five years has prompted much political exhaustion, it’s safe to say the viral trend is warming people’s hearts everywhere.
Voters wade through flood after water main bursts near London polling station
In Bermondsey, south-east London, a burst water main caused deep flooding in the area, leading some voters to decide to leave and return later.
Graham Kings told PA: "I could have gone home and put wellington boots on and waded across the flooded road to try to get in, but had to go to work and so will vote this evening."
Are selfies allowed at polling stations? And can you vote with pencil?
Polling day brings with it a special set of rules and regulations to ensure that voting takes place in a free and fair atmosphere.
Still not sure exactly how it works? Double-check your queries here
Arrest made after suspicious device found at polling station
A man has been arrested after a suspicious device was found at a polling station in Motherwell, Scotland.
A bomb squad were called to the Glen Tower flats around 1am on Thursday morning.
They carried out a controlled explosion as a precaution and determined it was a “non-viable device”.
Jeremy Corbyn votes in general election
UK heads to ballot box as polls open for ‘most important vote in a generation’
Polling stations have opened across the country for the “most important general election in a generation”.
After a campaign defined by Brexit, the NHS and accusations of bias and fake news, members of the public are casting their vote in the third general election in under five years.
The two largest parties have presented vastly different visions for the country, with Boris Johnson’s Conservatives focusing on Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour highlighting the health service and inequality.
The official exit poll, a joint survey for BBC News, ITV News and Sky News, will be announced as soon as voting closes at 10pm.
In 2017, the exit poll correctly predicted a hung parliament, while in 2015 it accurately projected that the Conservatives would be the largest party but failed to predict the small Tory majority in the final result.
Final poll shows Tories with 11-point lead over Labour
The final opinion poll for the general election - by Ipsos MORI and the Evening Standard - shows the Conservatives on 44%, Labour on 33%, Liberal Democrats on 12%, the Greens on 3% and the Brexit Party on just 2%. The poll was undertaken before voting opened in the general election this morning.
Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI, said: “Labour has squeezed the Liberal Democrat vote share over the course of the campaign, but our final poll suggests this has not been enough to prevent the Conservatives scenting victory. Overall, the Conservatives have managed to keep their vote from 2017 more successfully than Labour, while Boris Johnson retains his lead over Jeremy Corbyn as the most preferred PM.
"The country is not unanimous though, with clear splits by age as well as by other groups, and the number of people who said they might still change their mind is slightly higher than in 2017, with potential for more switching between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. And despite a record number saying the election outcome is very important to them, there are signs that the public is not wholly enthusiastic about the choices they face from either party.”
What time will key seats declare their results and when is the exit poll?
Put the kettle on, it is going to be a long night.
After weeks of dodgy photo opportunities, awkward encounters with voters and little sleep, 650 parliamentary candidates are waiting for voters to decide their fate.
Election nights always provide surprises, and this poll is likely to be no exception.
So if you are worried about missing anything, here is our guide for the moments worth staying up for.
Greta Thunberg urges the public to vote 'for the planet'
SNP's Nicola Sturgeon votes in election
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has cast her vote in the General Election campaign.
The SNP leader was joined by her partner Peter Murrell, as well as the party's Glasgow East candidate David Linden, at Broomhouse Community Hall in Uddingston.
Voters wading through flooded streets in Bermondsey
A burst water main in Bermondsey is apparently forcing voters to wade through water in order to reach the polling booths this morning.
Resident Hannah Tookey, tweeted: "It was too deep to wade through the middle, even in wellies."
David Cameron is trending on Twitter on polling day
After warning against the chaos of a government led by Ed Miliband back in 2015, David Cameron has now urged voters to back the Conservatives in the second general election since he quit in the earthquake result of the EU referendum in 2016.
But it's not going down well.
"Absolute Joke you are," posted the former Manchester United football player Gary Neville. "Started this mess and ran!"
.png?w=600)
