Exit poll: Labour landslide predicted
Welcome to a special edition of the ITV News digest as the 2024 General Election reaches its conclusion. We'll bring you expert analysis as the latest results from around the country come in.
Labour is on course to secure a landslide victory in the General Election, an exit poll Ipsos UK for ITV News/Sky News/BBC, shows.
The poll suggests Sir Keir Starmer should emerge with a bumper majority of 170 seats.
The swing from Labour to the Conservatives looks likely to be higher than Tony Blair achieved in 1997 (10.2%) and close to the all-time record of 12.1% at the first post-war general election in 1945.
It could though be a big victory built on a relatively small share of the vote with Labour benefiting more from the Conservative collapse in terms of seats gained rather than share of the vote won.
The Conservatives have fallen back sharply everywhere, the poll indicates, and look likely to have recorded their lowest ever share of the vote in a general election going right back to 1832.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is eating into the Conservative vote in pro-Leave Conservative seats where the Brexit party did not stand last time, picking up a predicted 13 seats.
The Lib Dems appear to have recovered particularly in places where they held parliamentary constituencies until they were punished by the electorate in 2015 for their part in the Cameron coalition.
The Greens have polled well particularly in places with large number of younger voters. The different pattern of party competition in Scotland and the large number of marginal seats there makes a forecast particularly difficult.
For more analysis on the day’s events, check out Talking Politics, our podcast from the election live from 4pm on ITVX, hosted today by UK Editor Paul Brand. Or watch on demand on ITVX or where you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for reading and enjoy some of the best content brought to you by the rest of the ITV News team below.
How ITV News will keep you across the story of the night as it unfolds
ITV News has put together a stellar political line-up for its election night programme to guide you through the night.
Tom Bradby - who anchored election nights in 2015, 2017 and 2019 - is leading ITV's coverage.
He’s joined by political insider guests including from Tory chancellor George Osborne, ex-Labour minister Ed Balls and Nicola Sturgeon, former SNP First Minister.
What are the key moments to look out for? Which seat declaring when could give a solid indication of whether it’s going to be a good night for some, and a bad night for others? Read our comprehensive hour-by-hour guide here.
Election 2024 Live: The Results is on air now on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
All over bar the counting…
Party leaders were up and about to cast their votes early - and the most keen appeared to be Conservative leader Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty.
They made the short journey from their grade II-listed manor house to vote at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in his Richmond constituency.
After arriving in a Range Rover, the pair walked hand-in-hand into the village hall.
He left without commenting and was driven away, followed by police protection officers.
Shortly after 9.30am, Sir Keir Starmer made the short journey from his Kentish Town home to the polling station in Willingham Close TRA Hall to vote in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency.
Sir Keir and his wife, Victoria, arrived on foot and walked hand-in-hand into the hall tucked inside the housing estate while being flanked by police protection officers.
Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney and his son Matthew arrived at Burreltown Village Hall in Blairgowrie, Perthshire to make his vote.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and his wife, Emily, visited a polling station in Surbiton to vote just before 11am.
Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, walked to vote at Redland Park United Reformed Church on Whiteladies Road in Bristol, on Thursday morning.
You can watch our wrap up of the voting day on ITVX.
Laundrettes, shipping containers and a tent: Unusual election polling stations
As polling booths took centre stage on Thursday, some voters exercised their democratic right in the most unusual of places.
While the majority of the population headed to a village hall or a local school to ballot, others found themselves queueing for somewhere far less traditional.
From shipping containers and caravans to launderettes and pubs, these quirky polling stations are redefining the voting experience.
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Inside an empty No 10 Downing Street as the nation decides who gets the keys
Number 10 Downing Street is one of the best known properties in the United Kingdom.
The building, which is home to the incumbent prime minister and their family, regularly hosts Cabinet meetings and welcomes guests from around the world.
So, it is somewhat ironic that in the run-up to polling day ahead of this year's General Election, its rooms and hallways lie vacant, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak turns his attention to retaining his party's seat in power.
With the PM away, ITV News cameras were granted behind-the-scenes access to No 10. You can get a look at what we saw on our @itvnews TikTok account.
What’s coming up…
Thursday July 4-5: ITV stages Election 2024 Live: The Results, on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player from 9.50pm until 6am.
Friday July 5: The 58th UK prime minister will likely be elected.
Saturday July 6: New Cabinet, ministers of state expected to be appointed.
Tuesday July 9: Parliament set to be recalled; new MPs sworn in.
And finally… what time should you set your alarm?
If you can stay up throughout the night, you might want to just try to wake up for your constituency result.
But what time is it expected? A range of factors play into how quickly the results can be declared, including the size of the constituency, the logistics of getting votes to the count, the number of volunteers, the number of spoilt ballots, and the narrowness of the result - which could prompt requests for a recount.
Based on those known factors, and previous declaration times, ITV News has compiled a list of the expected declaration times for each constituency in the UK.
Use our search tool (or here if viewing on mobile) to find out when you can expect to hear your local constituency result…