Polling stations across the United Kingdom are opened on Thursday morning, with opinion polls suggesting the centre-left Labour party on course to secure a big majority.

Labour is expected to secure majority in the House of Commons and form a new government, after 14 years in opposition.

Millions of people will cast their vote between 7a.m and 10pm,  An exit poll, published shortly after 10p.m., would provide the first indication of how the election has gone on a national level.

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

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

Prime Minister Rishi 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’’.

Sunak was joined by his wife Akshata Murty as they visited a polling station to vote on Thursday.

He said “morning’’ and waved at reporters as he entered Kirby Sigston Village Hall in Northallerton.

In his final stump speech on Wednesday evening, Sunak said: “this underdog will fight to the final whistle.’’

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

“Britain’s future is on the ballot,’’ he said.

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

“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, Starmer said he was pleased with Labour’s campaign and his party was “ready for what comes next’’.

An average of all polls completed during the seven days to July 3 puts Labour on 39 per cent, the party’s lowest rating since the campaign began 18 points ahead.

The Conservatives on 21per cent followed by the right-wing populist Reform UK on 16per cent, the centrist Liberal Democrats on 11per cent and the Greens on 6 per cent.

The Conservatives are up slightly on the figures for the previous week while Labour are down, with the averages for the seven days to June 26 being Labour 41per cent.

Conservatives 20 per cent, Reform 16 per cent, Lib Dems 11per cent and Greens 6 per cent.

Sunak had called the snap general election on May 22.

The Labour Party has demanded immediate release of Dr Chigbo Okoli, Chairman, sub-Committee on Registration and Revalidation of its National Transition Committee (NTC).

Tha party made the demand in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the NTC, Mr Abdulwahed Omar and Mr Nnawuihe Nwauwa, respectively

In the statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, the party officials said Okoli  was arrested by persons suspected to be officers of the Nigeria Police Force and had been held incommunicado.

“On Tuesday, the 25th of June 2024, around 2pm, gun-wielding armed policemen swooped on Dr Okoli after he left the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Federal
Capital Territory Command.

“They arrested him in a gestapo manner, without informing him of the offence he was suspected to have committed. Neither was he allowed to contact his lawyer nor any family member,” they said.

The officials added that Okoli has been held incommunicado since the time of his arrest and  neither charged to court nor released on administrative bail.

They described Okoli as “a peaceful and law-abiding citizen of Nigeria that has neither been arrested nor accused of committing a crime”.

“Every attempt by his family, Attorneys and associates to access him has been unsuccessful.

“This is in clear violation of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and other statutes,” they said.

The party officials called on the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, among other security agencies, to ensure the immediate and safe release of Okoli forthwith.