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UK Election: High Turnout As Labour Runs Into Early Lead

Published

4 months ago

Jul 4, 2024.

UK Election: High Turnout As Labour Runs Into Early Lead

Eko Hot Blog reports that Thursday’s general election in the United Kingdom (UK) saw a high turnout of voters across constituencies.

Polling stations opened at 7am, and voters had until 10pm to choose among candidates from 98 political parties.

Long queues formed at some polling stations, especially after work hours, while others saw moderate numbers.

However, postal vote returns were reported to be lower than usual, indicating some level of apathy.

Despite this, the turnout is expected to be one of the highest in recent election history.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the first leader to vote, casting his ballot at a polling station in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, accompanied by his wife, Akshata Murty. Sunak hopes to be re-elected as the Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton.

EDITOR’S PICK:

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, with his wife, Victoria, cast his vote in North London shortly before 10am.

This election was historic as it was the first in the UK to require voters to show photo identification before receiving a ballot paper. Exit polls were conducted at 10pm on Thursday.

Reports from various constituencies suggest that the Labour Party is gaining momentum, potentially signalling the end of the Conservative Party’s 14-year reign and a change of government.

If Labour secures a majority, Starmer will become the Prime Minister. Sunak is expected to give a speech today (Friday) before heading to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III, while Starmer prepares to move into his new residence.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative candidate in North West Essex, criticized her local council over delayed postal votes, with more than 2,600 ballots arriving late in the constituency.

Badenoch wrote on X yesterday: “Five years ago, all but four Conservatives on Uttlesford council were voted out. People wanted ‘Change’. Instead, they got ‘Change for the WORSE’, electing an independent residents group who ran a blame-the-Tories campaign.

“The community is now saddled with council leadership unable to carry out basic functions competently…. Now they’ve potentially disenfranchised up to 2,600 postal voters by forgetting to send them their ballot papers. Don’t change for the worse.”

Last week, the council’s chief executive, Peter Holt, apologized for the error, stating that packs had been sent out to the majority of postal voters.

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