Britain votes today at the end of a long general election campaign overshadowed by two deadly terrorist attacks, amid wildly diverging predictions about the outcome.
As final polls pointed to everything from a Conservative landslide to a hung parliament, Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn each held a number of events across the country to shore up support.
In her final pitch to voters before polling stations opened, the British prime minister focused on Brexit, the issue she claimed was the reason she called an early election.
"If we get Brexit right, we can build a Britain that is more prosperous and more secure. A Britain in which prosperity and opportunity is shared by all. A Britain where it's not where you come from or who your parents are that matter, but the talent you have and how hard you are prepared to work. The greatest meritocracy in the world," she said.
She promised to build a post-Brexit Britain that was stronger and fairer, in which the government would stand up for the weak and stand up to the strong. And she made a direct appeal to Labour voters who backed Brexit and are disenchanted with Mr Corbyn.
‘Right deal in Brussels’
“I can only build that better country and get the right deal in Brussels with the support of the British people. So whoever you have voted for in the past, if that is the future you want then vote Conservative today and we can all go forward together,” she said.
Mr Corbyn, who has drawn thousands to rallies in recent days, addressed large crowds on Wednesday at seven rallies, including appearances in Scotland, Wales and London.
Speaking at his final rally in his constituency in Islington, he appeared to look beyond the election and to stake his claim to stay on as Labour leader regardless of the outcome.
“Labour’s campaign has already changed the face of British politics. As we prepare for government, we have already changed the debate and given people hope. Hope that it doesn’t have to be like this; that inequality can be tackled; that austerity can be ended; that you can stand up to the elites and the cynics,” he said.
“This is the new centre ground. The place where most people actually are. The policies the majority actually want, not what the establishment and its media mouthpieces insist they should want.”
A final ICM poll for the Guardian on Wednesday confirmed that Labour has a huge lead of 66-23 per cent amongst 18-24 year olds and that women are much more likely than men to back Labour. Labour appears to have halted Conservative gains among unskilled working class voters but Ms May's party has a 23 point lead among skilled working class voters.
Key demographic
This is a key demographic in many marginal seats in the Midlands the Conservatives hope to win from Labour. Mr Corbyn’s supporters hope that the enthusiasm he inspires among young voters, combined with the prime minister’s collapse in popularity, will at least narrow the gap between the two parties.
Polling stations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland open at 7am and close at 10pm. Counting begins immediately in 650 constituencies but few results are expected before 2am.
