The UK is going to the polls on Thursday in one of the most crucial elections fought in recent history. Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the general elections to break the gridlock over Britain's exit from the European Union. Johnson pitched for early ballot as the UK parliament could not arrive at a consensus on the terms of leaving the European Union years after the Brexit referendum.
This election is monumental as its results will have a bearing on the future generations of Britain. If Johnson wins the country will complete the Brexit but if the Labour manages to force a surprise victory, the Brexit deal could probably be scrapped. As per opinion polls, the Conservatives are ahead of the Labour.
Here's a complete guide to the UK elections 2019:
Why is this election important?
This election is mostly about Brexit. The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum took place on 23 June 2016. As many as 51.9 percent of votes were in favour of Britain leaving the EU. Prime Minister David Cameron, who argued against Brexit, resigned on June 24. Theresa May became the prime minister and she held a snap election in 2017 in order to break the Brexit stalemate. But she failed to win a majority and the Brexit conundrum haunted her during the rest of her tenure and ended with her resignation this year.
Will Johnson solve the big puzzle?
Today is our chance to unite as a country and put the uncertainty to bed so people can get on with their lives ... Just imagine how wonderful it will be to settle down to a turkey dinner this Christmas with Brexit decided ...
PM Johnson has categorically said he will push ahead with his own Brexit deal if he returns to power. At the moment it looks like Johnson will have his way. On the eve of the historic election Johnson urged Britons to vote him to power and help solve the stalemate before Christmas. "Today is our chance to unite as a country and put the uncertainty to bed so people can get on with their lives ... 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," he said at a London rally.
What is Jeremy Corbyn's pitch?
Tomorrow you can shock the establishment, by voting for hope...
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who supported Johnson's decision to call snap elections, hopes that the verdict will be 'against the establishment'. Labour is trailing in opinion polls but he hopes that the party would at least be able to deny Johnson a majority. If a splintered verdict leads to a hung parliament, the Labour could hope to form a minority government. A formal power sharing with the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) could also be attempted. "Tomorrow you can shock the establishment, by voting for hope," Corbnyn told a rally on Wednesday.
What do opinion polls say?
Johnson and the Conservatives have been ahead in the opinion polls right from the beginning of the election campaign. According to the latest opinion polls, the Tories are ahead by between six and 15 points. As per this Johnson could romp home to a comfortable win with a majority of at least 60 seats in the parliament if he holds on to the 15-point lead. At the lower band of the projected lead, the verdict could be a hung parliament. The Liberal Democrats have asked the voters to defeat the Conservatives and prevent a hard Brexit. In another jolt for the Tories, the Brexit party of Nigel Farage is likely to split pro-Brexit vote in many key constituencies, helping the Labour eventually.
How many seats are needed for majority?
There are a total of 650 seats in the House of Commons, and the party winning 326 seats will form the government. While Tory leader David Cmeron won clear majority in 2015, the elections in 2010 and 2017 returned a hung parliament. Johnson's Tories are expected to become the largest party in the event of a hung parliament. As per tradition, the biggest party gets the first opportunity to form the government. Johnson could either form a minority government or form an alliance with the DUP. If Labour manages to get the highest number of seats, it could ally with the SNP or the LibDems.
When does the voting start?
Voting will start at 07:00 GMT. Polling booths in 650 constituencies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will close at 22:00 GMT on Thursday. All UK citizens aged 18 or over and those qualifying citizens of the Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland can also vote. The website of the Electoral Commission has details about where to cast votes. The exit polls will be released immediately after the polls close.
When will you know results?
UK parliament election results can be known as early as 2AM on Friday. The counting will start immediately after the polls close at 22:00 GMT. The clear picture will emerge in the early hours of Friday morning. In some constituencies, the results can come very quickly. For example, in 2017, Newcastle Central announced results an hour after the polls closed. The winning candidate is chosen on the basis of the first-past-the-post system; the candidate who gets the most votes wins.
Where can you watch live coverage of the results?
The UK Parliament election live coverage can be watched on BBC, ITV, Sky News and Channel 4.
