Today is election day in the UK. England will hold local elections for 136 local councils, with 5,014 seats up for grabs. And Scotland and Wales will have general elections.
Political parties and their candidates made a final push to attract votes at the end of their campaigning before the elections in England, Scotland and Wales. Polling stations will be open from 07:00 am to 22:00 GMT, with results expected on Friday and over the weekend.
This election is expected to be the biggest test of public opinion since Labour won the 2024 general election. Polls suggest the results are likely to reflect the growing fragmentation of British politics, with voter support spread across a wider range of parties in England, Scotland and Wales.
In Scotland, the Scottish National Party is seeking to remain in power, having won its fifth devolved election in a row, isolating Labour and the "reformers". "Reform UK" and the nationalists of "Plaid Cumbria" They will also be fighting for the largest party in the Welsh parliament, where Labour's more than 100-year dominance is under threat. The local elections in England are not a nationwide affair, but they will be held in key locations. All 32 London borough councils will be up for election, as well as more than a dozen other district councils, six unitary councils, six county councils and three district councils. There are also mayoral elections in six London boroughs.
The local elections will certainly show what voters think of the performance of the Labour government and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has become increasingly unpopular and under pressure in recent months. There is speculation that Starmer could challenge the leadership if the results prove disastrous for the party.