UK general election 2024 results RECAP: First of Keir Starmer's new cabinet is unveiled

Follow below for a full recap of today's events.

Lord Cameron, the out-going foreign secretary has congratulated Lammy on his appointment to the role.

In a post on X he wrote he would be 'willing him on' and thanked the British civil service for their support and work while he was in office.

At a time when the world is more dangerous, more volatile, more confrontational, than most of us have ever known, your new role is more important than ever.

The newly elected MP for Great Yarmouth has promised to donate his MP salary to a new charity every month.

Rupert Lowe has said that his “entire net MP salary” would go to charities and worthy causes in the Norfolk seaside town.

Each month, a different one will be chosen and I will post proof for every single one.

Ukranian President Zelensky has spoken to Sir Keir Starmer on the phone and congratulated him on his win.

In a post on X he said:

I am grateful to Prime Minister Starmer for reaffirming the UK's principled and unwavering support for Ukraine.

He added that they have discussed ways the two countries can continued to 'strengthen' their partnership, specifically the 'preparation of an unprecedented 100-year partnership agreement' between the two nations.

Downing Street has said that Sir Keir and President Biden spoke on the phone earlier this evening, where he was congratulated on forming a new government.

According to the No10 spokesperson to pair look forward to seeing each other at the Nato summit in Washington next week.

While both leaders 'reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine' and reinforced their commitment to 'protecting to Good Friday Agreement.

The Telegraph has reported that the former chancellor of the exchequer under Rishi Sunak will not be running for leader.

Although Mr Hunt managed to cling on to his seat in Surrey, winning by just 900 votes, the source has there is 'no chance' he wants to be leader.

He definitely won’t stand. No prospect at all.

James Timpson, the chief executive of Timpson, has been ennobled and will become minister of state for prisons, parole and probation.

Sir Patrick Vallance has been appointed as the minister of state for science.

He served as No10's chief scientific adviser from 2018 to 2023.

The SNP candidate in Inverness, Skye and Rosshire has accepted defeated, despite the seat still being undeclared.

Drew Hendry said he would be unable to attend the recount due to an "unmovable prior commitment", adding it had been "an absolute joy" to serve his constituents for the last nine years.

It seems likely the constituency will go to the Liberal Democrats - although the result is not expected to be officially announced until after a second recount which will begin at 10:30 on Saturday.

Sir Keir Starmer has appointed a KC as Attorney General instead of Emily Thornberry.

Thornberry has been holding the position of shadow attorney general since November 2021, but Starmer has instead decided to appoint Richard Hermer KC, a human rights lawyer.

Mr Hermer will be handed a life peerage to enable him to take up the position.

The US President took to X to congratulate Starmer on his historic win, as he looks forward to working with him to protect 'freedom' and 'democracy'.

Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.

Sir Alan Campbell is to be the Government’s chief whip.

When Labour was last in government he was a government whip and then a junior Home Office minister. He also served as a parliamentary private secretary in the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Defence.

He received a knighthood in the 2019 New Year Honours.

Sir Keir Starmer has decided that Darren Jones, the MP for Bristol North will become the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Nigel Farage has told the fifth Reform UK MP 'go on my son' after he defeated Labour by 98 votes in Basildon South and East Thurrock.

New Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called for an 'immediate ceasefire' in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Speaking from the Foreign Office, he said: 'I will do all I can diplomatically to support Joe Biden in bringing about that ceasefire.'

Asked by reporters if he would be willing to work with Donald Trump should he be re-elected, Mr Lammy said: 'I will work closely with whoever is in the White House in the end. The US is a great democracy.

'In democracies, of course, there is debate and discussion and difference.

'We've seen that over the last six weeks in our own country, but the job of international security, the key partnership role that the UK and US play is hugely important.'

It comes after a number of Labour MPs lost their seats to pro-Gaza candidates, including a member of the shadow cabinet in John Ashworth, in a backlash to Labour's position on the conflict.

Baroness Smith of Basildon has been appointed Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, No10 says.

Lucy Powell has been appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, No10 says.

Rachel Reeves has said her ascent to Chancellor of the Exchequer should show women there should be 'no ceilings on your ambitions'.

She said:

It is also a huge privilege to be the first ever female Chancellor of the Exchequer.

So every young woman and girl watching this: Let today show that there should be no ceilings on your ambitions, your hopes or your dreams.

But there is a deeper responsibility too: To women whose work is too often undervalued.

Who have borne the brunt of inequality.

King Charles told Sir Keir Starmer he 'must be exhausted' and 'nearly on your knees' during his private audience at Buckingham Palace today.

In video shared by the Palace, His Majesty shook hands with his new Prime Minister as Starmer admitted he had had 'not much sleep'.

Following on in the same vein, No10 has also announced that Jo Stevens has been appointed Secretary of State for Wales.

It is a natural step up for Ms Stevens, who is the MP for Cardiff East and had held the shadow briefing for the position since 2021.

No10 has also confirmed that Ian Murray has been appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland.

The MP for Edinburgh South, who was a vocal critic of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, has stood for deputy leader of the party but was beaten by Agnela Rayner.

He had been Shadow Scotland Secretary since 2020, so a step up into the role in government was not much of a surprise.

Hilary Benn has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, No10 has confirmed.

The Labour Party grandee will be responsible for ensuring power sharing in Northern Ireland Assembly continues after it was reinstated earlier this year.

Lisa Nandy has been appointed as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

In doing so, she takes the position of Thangam Debbonaire, who lost her seat in Bristol Central to Green party co-leader Carla Denyer overnight.

It also marks as something of a promotion, with the MP for Wigan previously being sidelined by Sir Keir Starmer to Shadow Secretary for International Development.

No10 has just announced that Steve Reed OBE has been appointed as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

When Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street as Prime Minister for the first time this afternoon, he was joined by his wife Victoria.

Despite six weeks of high profile campaigning by her husband in the lead up to polling day, 'Lady Vic' has kept out of the limelight, continuing in her role as an occupational therapist in the NHS.

While she stepped into the full gaze of the nation today, friends have said that Britain should not expect her to stay in the public eye - because her focus is very much on their two children, one of whom has just completed their GCSEs.

Read MailOnline's profile on the 'brilliant' woman who will take up resident in No10 alongside her husband below:

It's late in the day, but Reform UK have just won their fifth seat after coming out on top in a close race in South Basildon and East Thurrock.

Nigel Farage's party beat out Labour by 98 votes in the Essex constituency, with the Convservatives - who had a majority of more than 19,000 before yesterday - beaten into third place.

The final results were:

• James McMurdock (Reform UK) - 12,178 votes
• Jack Ferguson (Labour) - 12,080 votes
• Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative) - 10,159 votes
• Neil Speight (Independent) - 1,928 votes
• Elizabeth Grant (Green) - 1,718 votes
• Dave Thomas (Liberal Democrat) - 1,071 votes
• Steven Burnett (Independent) - 275 votes
• Simon Breedon (Social Democrat Party) - 140 votes

Louise Haigh has been appointed as Transport Secretary, No10 has announced.

At 36 year's old, she is set to be the youngest member of Keir Starmer's cabinet, and will hold a brief that includes bringing about the renationalisation of Britain's railways.

Sir Keir Starmer officially became Prime Minister this afternoon during an audience with King Charles.

The Labour leader was asked by His Majesty to take up the role less than an hour after the monarch accepted Rishi Sunak's resignation.

Peter Kyle has been appointed as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, No10 has said.

The MP for Hove, who left school with no qualifications before going back into education and eventually attaining a PHD, he has endorsed using AI technology to improve public services.

Jonathan Reynolds has been appointed as Business Secretary, No10 has said.

He is one of Sir Keir Starmer's most longstanding allies, and has been Shadow minister for the same brief since September 2023.

Liz Kendall has been appointed as Secretary and State for Work and Pensions, No10 has confirmed.

Earlier today Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty bid farewell to No10.

Photos, taken moments before Mr Sunak announced his resignation on the steps of Downing Street, show the couple hugging staff and special advisors.

David Lammy has tweeted following his appointment as Foreign Secretary, saying he wants to 'reconnect' Britain to the rest of the world.

He wrote:

It is the honour of my life to be appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. The world faces huge challenges, but we will navigate them with the UK's enormous strengths. We will reconnect Britain for our security and prosperity at home.

Ed Miliband has been confirmed as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, No10 has confirmed.

In doing so he continues on from the brief he had in the Shadow Cabinet, and he will attempt to push through Sir Keir Starmer's green agenda while in government.

Bridget Phillipson has been appointed as Education Secretary, No10 has said.

She was the first MP to be confirmed overnight, with the result in her constituency of Houghton and Sunderland South at 11.14pm last night.

Wes Streetinghas been appointed as Health Secretary, No10 has confirmed.

In his role he will be tasked with trying to rein in NHS waiting lists and deal with issues in the social care sector.

Shabana Mahmood has been appointed as Justice Secretary, No10 has confirmed.

A qualified barrister, Ms Mahmood will be tasked with getting the record court backlog under control.

Sir Keir Starmer has already appointed what many would think of as being the six most important roles in his cabinet.

These people will be among the top voices in his Government after they were given the following roles:

• Angela Rayner - Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Rachel Reeves - Chancellor of the Exchequer
• David Lammy - Foreign Secretary
• Yvette Cooper - Home Secretary
• John Healey - Defence Secretary
• Pat McFadden- Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

While that flurry of cabinet announcements was being made, a number of other Labour MPs made the walk up Downing Street to No10.

Lisa Nandy, Ian Murray, Louise Haigh, Lucy Powell and Liz Kendall were in the next wave of Labour frontbenchers.

Ms Nandy (pictured) walked into No10 nearly a year after she was demoted from the shadow cabinet.

Wearing an all-grey suit, she smiled at reporters and entered the building at around 3.35pm.

John Healey has been appointed as Defence Minister by Sir Keir Starmer, No10 has announced.

Yvette Cooper has been appointed as Secretary of State for the Home Department, No10 has confirmed.

It means that three of the top roles in the Government - Home Secretary, Chancellor and Deputy PM - have been taken by women.

David Lammy has been appointed as the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, No10 says.

Pat McFadden, who spearheaded the Labour Party's election campaign, has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Ed Miliband has been seen entering Downing Street, with the Shadow Climate Change and Net Zero Secretary expected to retain his brief in Government.

It will be a bittersweet moment for the MP for Doncaster North, who would have hoped to enter Government as Prime Minister when he led the Labour Party into the 2015 General Election.

Lisa Nandy, who is the Shadow International Development Secretary, has also made the walk to No10, a slight surprise given she has been increasingly sidelined by Sir Keir Starmer over the duration of his leadership.

Rachel Reeves has been appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer, No10 says.

The 45-year-old, who used to work at the Bank of England before entering politics, is the first woman to hold the post.

Mr Farage has claimed vetting candidates is 'easy' and that most racism in British politics is in the Labour Party.

Asked at a press conference how he would vet Reform candidates properly going forward, including for racism, he said: 'Very easy. You go back through their social media records, you obviously do police checks and things like that, no, it's not difficult to do it and the message has to be clear and simple.

'We don't want anyone like that involved with us. Indeed I mean the racism problem in the Labour Party was enormous, but to Keir Starmer's credit actually he did quite a lot by getting rid of Jeremy Corbyn, who ironically has been re-elected.

'There's an awful lot we can do. There is plenty of racism in British politics, it's mostly in the Labour Party.'

He was later asked if he would be givign up his broadasting career at GB News and whether he still planned to go the US to support Donald Trump in his presidential election campaign.

'I haven't got a clue. I haven't thought any of this through yet,' he said.

'We've been so busy focused on running to the line of July the 4th that we have a lot to think about. But you known what you say I'm a very busy man - you want to get a job done ask a busy man to do it, they somehow always find the time.'

As that news was announced Jonathan Reynolds was seen arriving at Downing Street.

The 43-year-old, who is the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, was Shadow Business Secretary and is expected to take up the same role in Government.

He is longstanding ally of Sir Keir Starmer and is seen as being on the right of the Labour party.

Angela Rayner has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary, No10 has announced.

It is the culmination of a remarkable rise for the 44-year-old who worked as a care giver before becoming a top union official and then one of the most outspoken voices in the Labour Party.

Mr Farage said Reform 'will be the leading opposition voice in the country'.

'Opposition isn't just what happens in the House of Commons, it's what happens across the country,' he added.

Yvette Cooper and Anneliese Dodds are the next MPs to have arrived at Downing Street.

Mr Farage said Reform UK's focus will be on going 'after Labour votes'.

The new MP for Clacton said: 'Old Labour was very, very patriotic. It believed in the country. It believed in its people. New Labour far less so.

'And the journey that Lee Anderson has been on is a journey that at least a couple of million people have been on, and it'll be many, many more by the time we're finished, because no doubt, our priority now is to go after Labour votes. That is what we're going to be doing.'

Introducing Reform's Ashfield MP Mr Anderson, the leader added: 'Lee Anderson took a brave decision. He decided to join Reform UK. He was much mocked and derided by colleagues who had similar political opinions to him but didn't have the guts to do it. They've all lost their seats overnight.'

Speaking as one of the four elected Reform MPs Lee Anderson claimed in the press conference that he would be looking at Sir Keir Starmer's Government in the Commons and thinking 'what has our country come to'.

The Reform UK MP said the UK's Prime Minister and his 'motley crew absolutely scares me to death, I'm going to be sat on the green benches next week looking at them and thinking what has our country come to'.

Mr Anderson was previously a member of the Labour Party and a Conservative MP.

A number of Labour MPs have arrived at No 10 Downing Street, including David Lammy and Wes Streeting.

Mr Lammy is expectd to become the new foreign secretary while Mr Streeting is expected to become health secretary.

Peter Kyle and former shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson have also arrived.

Rachel Reeves has arrived at Downing Street as she is expected to be made the first ever female chancellor as part of Startmer's new government.

She did not give any comment on arrival but smiled at reporters.

She was closely followed by Shabana Mahmood.

Mr Farage was interrupted by several protesters as he spoke this afternoon.

As a fourth heckler interrupted him, the Reform UK leader said: 'You'll do yourself a nasty mate. you'll have a stroke if you carry on like this.'

Mr Farage told his supporters that last nights election results revealed that there was 'no enthusiasm for Starmer's Labour whatsoever'.

Nigel Farage has arrived at his press conference as he is met by seven hecklers chanting 'boring, boring, boring'.

Others shouted 'you're a racist' and 'you don't represent the working class'.

Mr Farage, who was elected as Reform MP for Clacton today, joked that 'this is good prepartion for the House of Commons'.

As one protester was frog marched out of the room, Mr Farage asked if the man was down 'a couple already' before telling the room: 'He's absolutely steaming isn't he?

'That's alright there's still plenty of beer left in the pub mate.'

Pat McFadden has arrived at Downing Street just moments after Angela Rayner arrived.

Angela Rayner has arrived at Downing Street as new Prime Minister Sir Keir

Starmer begins to appoint his Cabinet.

Ms Rayner, 44, is expected to become the second most senior politician in the country.

As she walked up to No 10 she smiled but did not stop to speak to reporters.

Among the Conservatives who lost their seats overnight was arch-Brexiteer Steve Baker, who saw Labour take his constituency of Wycombe overturning a majority of more than 4,000.

The outspoken politician, who ranted at George Osborne while speaking to ITV this morning, was in a typically plain-speaking mood when he was on camera with the BBC after the result.

He remarked that it was 'sad for our country becuase Labour are going to be a disaster' and he wanted to win his seat.

However, he said he would not miss the stress and difficulty of doing the job, adding: 'Thank God I'm free'.

The Prime Minister is currently behind the closed door at Downing Street deciding on who to appoint to his cabinet.

It is expected that there will be some broad overlap between Sir Keir Starmer's first cabinet, and the members of his shadow cabinet who acted as understudies for the role while in opposition.

Key figures such as Angela Rayner, Rachel Reeves, David Lammy and Wes Streeting are all expected to be given top jobs.

However, there will have to be some changes, after Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Paymaster General, was unseated by a pro-Gaza candidate in Leicester South overnight, as was Thangam Debbonaire, the Shadow Culture Secretary, who lost her seat in Bristol Central to Green party leader Carla Denyer.

The two maps below show the wave of red sweeping across Britain as Labour powers to a landslide victory in the election.

The top map shows how Labour has taken seats by expanding out from its urban heartlands and has gone someway to rebuilding the 'Red Wall' which has historically given it its support.

It also shows the party's resurgence in central Scotland at the expense of the SNP, and across north and south Wales, both traditional Labour heartlands.

It also shows how the Liberal Democrats have surged to their highest ever tally by targeting Tory seats in the south, south west and east of England.

The second map shows a hexagonal map of the final make-up of seats (minus the two which are yet to declare) in which every constituency is given the same shape and size. This gives a more easy-to-understand view of how Labour got its majority.

You can look through our interactive maps by clicking here.

Less than 16 hours after polls around the country closed, we have results from 648 out of 650 parliamentary constituencies.

The two holdouts - South Basildon and East Thurrock in Essex, and Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands - have had their results delayed by multiple recounts.

In Thurrock, where the Conservatives are under threat of losing a majority of nearly 20,000 to both Labour and Reform UK, a recount is underway after claims some bundles of votes had the wrong party within them.

Meanwhile, in Scotland the recount - ordered after a 'discrepancy' was found between the verified votes total and the provisional number of counted votes - will not take place until tomorrow, meaning there will be no final result in the election until Saturday.

It's been an extraordinary 24 hours of political drama which began at 10pm last night with an exit poll predicting Labour winning a landslide.

Sir Keir Starmer is the UK's new Labour prime minister after a Conservative rout that saw the party suffer its worst ever result.

Between sunset and just after sunrise, 12 ministers who sat around the Cabinet table were ousted, comfortably exceeding the previous record of seven set in 1997.

Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, David TC Davies, Mark Harper, Victoria Prentis, and veterans minister Johnny Mercer all lost to Labour.

Click below to see MailOnline's timeline of how the General Election night unfolded:

Sir Keir Starmer was joined by his wife Victoria as he stepped into No10 Downing Street following his speech.

Inside he was greeted by staff, including Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.

Sir Keir Starmer finished his speech by saying that the 'clear mandate' given by voters would be used to 'deliver change' and called for people to 'join this Government of service'.

He said:

We will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect for politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives and unite our country.

Four nations standing together again facing down, as we have so often in our past, the challenges of an insecure world, committed to a calm and patient rebuilding.

So, with respect and humility, I invite you all to join this Government of service in the mission of national renewal.

Our work is urgent and we begin it today.

In his speech the new Prime Minister said that the UK 'needs a bigger reset' and vowed to serve all voters.

He said:

If you voted Labour yesterday, we will carry the responsibility of your trust as we rebuild our country. But whether you voted Labour or not, in fact especially if you did not, I say to you directly, my Government will serve you.

Politics can be a force for good. We will show that. We've changed the Labour Party, returned it to service, and that is how we will govern. Country first, party second.

Yet if I'm honest, service is merely a precondition of hope. And it is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery of who we are. Because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the great strengths of this nation has always been our ability to navigate a way to calmer waters.

And yet this depends upon politicians, particularly those who stand for stability and moderation as I do, recognising that we must change course.

If I asked you now whether you believe that Britain will be better for your children, I know too many of you would say no. So, my Government will fight every day until you believe again.

From now on, you have a Government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest, to defy quietly those who have written our country off.

You have given us a clear mandate and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics.

The new Prime Minister said that the 'work of change begins immediately' and vowed that Labour would 'rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity'.

Sir Keir Starmer said:

Changing a country is not like flicking a switch. The world is now a more volatile place. This will take a while.

But have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. Have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain, with wealth created in every community. Our NHS back on its feet facing the future. Secure borders, safer streets, everyone treated with dignity and respect at work. The opportunity of clean British power, cutting your energy bills for good.

Brick by brick, we will rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity. The world-class schools and colleges, the affordable homes that I know are the ingredients of hope for working people. The security, the working-class families like mine could build their lives around.

Sir Keir Starmer began his speech by praising his predecessor Rishi Sunak, saying he recognised the 'dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership'.

However, he went on to talk about how voters in the UK have voted for 'decisively for change'

He said:

When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future.

But we need to move forward together. Now this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions not words, I know that.

But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public service is a privilege and that your government should treat every single person in this country with respect.

In his speech, the first time Sir Keir Starmer has addressed the nation as Prime Minister, he vowed 'my Government will serve you, politics can be a force for good'.

Giving his speech outside Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer said:

Our country has voted decisively for change, for national renewal and a return of politics to public service.

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Downing Street, where he is greeted by cheering Labour Party campaigners, including Sue Gray, ahead of his speech.

In a statement Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles has asked Sir Keir Starmer to serve as his Prime Minister.

It said:

The King received in Audience The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP today and requested him to form a new Administration.

Sir Keir accepted His Majesty's offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.

Sir Keir Starmer has left Buckingham Palace following his audience with King Charles and is now on his way to Downing Street.

The new Prime Minister will give a speech on the steps No10 in front of party members (pictured) and the media.

Sir Keir Starmer has become Prime Minister after an audience with King Charles.

A photo has been released showing the Labour leader shaking hands with His Majesty during their meeting this afternoon.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer swept into Buckingham Palace just after noon in a chauffeur-driven car ahead of becoming the third prime minister of the King's reign.

Sir Keir was joined by his wife Lady Victoria Starmer, who works in occupational health for the NHS, and the couple were welcomed by the King and Queen's principal private secretary Sir Clive Alderton.

Also there to greet the politician and his wife was Charles' equerry Royal Navy Commander William Thornton.

A heavy shower had fallen just before Sir Keir arrived and as he stepped from his car the sun broke through, and he appeared to reference the turn in the weather as Sir Clive looked to the heavens and replied 'how about that?'.

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles, where he is expected to be asked to become Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak has announced he will step down as Conservative leader, but will remain in place while his successor is elected by party members.

In the coming days questions will be asked about who will replace him, with a number of early frontrunners, although no one has put themselves firmly forward yet.

These include:

• Kemi Badenoch, the outgoing Business Secretary who is a big name in the right-leaning factions of the party
• James Cleverly, the outgoing Home Secretary who is seen as being in the centre of the Tory party
• Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary who has been outspoken on immigration and declared two days before the election the Conservatives would lose
• Robert Jenrick, the former Immigration Minister who criticised the controversial Rwanda scheme for not going far enough to deter illegal migration
• Jeremy Hunt, the former Chancellor who has twice attempted to become leader of the party in the past and has appeal with moderates within the Conservatives

Rishi Sunak left Buckingham Palace with his wife just after 11.20am having resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

This afternoon Sir Keir Starmer will have an audience with King Charles where he will be asked to serve as Prime Minister by the monarch. As soon as the Labour leader says yes, he will become the new Prime Minister.

Former members of cabinet, some of whom will have lost their seats during the election, will also be invited to meet His Majesty to formally resign from their roles and hand over their seals of office.

Rishi Sunak has had his resignation as Prime Minister accepted by King Charles, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

In a statement, the Palace said:

The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak MP had an audience of The King this morning and tendered his resignation as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, which His Majesty was graciously pleased to accept.

To close his speech outside No10, Mr Sunak praised Britain as a 'remarkable' country with people of 'kindness, decency and tolerance'.

He said:

One of the most remarkable things about Britain is just how unremarkable it is that two generations after my grandparents came here with little, I could become Prime Minister. And that I could watch my two young daughters light Diwali candles on the steps in Downing Street.

We must hold true to that idea of who we are. That vision of kindness, decency and tolerance that has always been the British way.

This is a difficult day at the end of a number of difficult days. But I leave this job honoured to have been your Prime Minister.

This is the best country in the world. And it is thanks entirely to you, the British people, the true source of all our achievements, our strengths and our greatness.

Thank you.

Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has arrived at Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation to the King after the Conservative Party's huge General Election loss to the Labour Party.

Mr Sunak was joined by his wife Akshata Murty and was greeted at the King's door by Sir Clive Alderton, principal private secretary to the King and Queen, and the King's equerry Commander William Thornton, Royal Navy.

Exchanging words with Sir Clive, Mr Sunak appeared to joke about his favourite meal, telling him: 'I've been eating plenty of sandwiches on the road.'

He is expected to leave privately and unseen with his family after the audience with the King.

During his speech Mr Sunak apologised to Conservative candidates and campaigners, before saying he was 'proud' of his achievements and believes the UK is "more prosperous, fairer and resilient than it was in 2010".

The Prime Minister cited the negotiation of the Windsor Framework and efforts to support Ukraine during his premiership.

I'm sorry that we could not deliver what your efforts deserved.

It pains me to think how many good colleagues who contributed so much to their communities and our country will now no longer sit in the House of Commons.

I thank them for their hard work and their service.

The outgoing Prime Minister was joined by his wife Akshata Murty on the steps of No10 as he gave his resignation speech.

After a short speech lasting about five minutes, Mr Sunak and Ms Murty walked away from their home as he headed to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the King.

Rishi Sunak has said 'I am sorry' to the nation as he began his final speech as Prime Minister.

After stepping out onto a drizzly Downing Street, he said:

I will shortly be seeing His Majesty the King to offer my resignation as Prime Minister.

To the country, I would like to say first and foremost, I am sorry.

I have given this job my all, but you have sent a clear signal that the Government of the United Kingdom must change. And yours is the only judgment that matters.

I have heard your anger, your disappointment, and I take responsibility for this loss.

In his speech, Mr Sunak said:

I leave this job honoured to have been your Prime Minister. This is the best country in the world and it is thanks entirely to you, the British people - the true source of all our ahcievements, our strengths and our greatness.

Rishi Sunak has confirmed he will stand down as Tory party leader on the steps of No10 Downing Street

King Charles has been pictured leaving Buckingham Palace.

His Majesty, who cut short his week in Scotland for the election, was seen in a motorcade making a short journey from the Palace to Clarence House on The Mall.

Rishi Sunak is set to give a speech outside No10 Downing Street in the next hour.

The former Prime Minister made the short journey to Buckingham Palace this morning to hand his resignation to King Charles after the disastrous results for the Tory party overnight.

Staff at No10 have already put a podium outside the front door in preparation for Mr Sunak's speech.

While it will be all change at Downing Street today, something that will stay the same is the presence of Larry the cat.

The Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, who has livd in Downing Street since 2011, will welcome his sixth Prime Minister when Sir Keir Starmer takes up residence over the weekend.

He does not seem over fussed by the extraordinary events overnight.

Throughout the campaign a number of high profile celebrities have been very outspoken in their support of Labour.

The likes of Carol Vorderman, who has had high profile clashes with outgoing Tory minister Johnny Mercer on social media, and former footballer Gary Neville have gloated about the Conservative's losing power.

Following the publication of the exit poll last night, which all but confirmed Labour would win in a landslide, the pair wasted no time in gloating online.

You can see their antics by clicking below:

There are just three seats left to declare this morning before the final results of the election are confirmed.

These are South Basildon and East Thurrock in Essex, where the Tories are defencing a majority of 19,992, Dumfries and Galloway in the Scottish borders where they have a slimmer 1,805 headway.

The is also a recount taking place in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, which is a new contistuency but would normally be expected to vote SNP - this is not a certainty though given the appalling results for the Scottish nationalists elsewhere overnight.

In one of the latest results of the day, Labour have taken the seat of Poole by just 18 votes.

It is the first time since 1880 that the constituency on the south coast has not voted for the Conservatives and sees veteran MP Sir Robert Syms lose his job.

The final results were as follows:

• Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour) - 14,168 votes
• Robert Syms (Conservative) - 14,150 votes
• Andrew Dragotoniu (Reform UK) - 7,429 votes
• Oliver Walters (Liberal Democrat) - 5,507 votes
• Sarah Ward (Green) - 2,218 votes
• Joe Cronin (Independent) - 698 votes
• Leanne Barnes (UK Independence Party) - 325 votes

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg was one of the big names within the Tory party to lose their seats overnight.

The former Leader of the House of Commons lost his seat of North East Somerset and Hanham to Labour by more than 5,000 votes.

The 55-year-old was magnanimous in defeat, giving his 'warmest congratulations' to his successor Dan Norris and Sir Keir Starmer for 'leading his party to what seems to be an historic victory'.

He joked it was 'good news' the result had been announced so early in the night that the sun had not yet risen, before quoting Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang's Caractacus Potts by saying: 'From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success.'

Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been pictured leaving Downing Street with his family after the Tories' election nightmare.

Mr Hunt, who hung on to his own Goldalming and Ash in Surrey after a strong challenge by the Liberal Democrats, posed for photos outside Number 11 with his wife, three children and their dog Poppy.

The 57-year-old gave no response when he was asked by one reporter 'are you going to run for leader?'

While there are still a handful of seats left to declare across Britain, Labour's election victory is not in doubt, with Sir Keir Starmer set to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

It is set to be a busy day as the transition of power takes place, particularly for the Labour leader.

From speaking to the King and being given the nuclear codes, to speaking to world leaders, click below to find out what's going to happen next:

Gillian Keegan was one of the biggest names to lose her seat overnight.

The Education Secretary was beaten by the Liberal Democrats in her seat of Chichester, losing out by more than 12,000 votes when all ballots were counted.

This was a seismic result, with the Tories previously holding the seat continuously since 1924 and almost every election since the 1860s.

You can see below the moment her successor, Jess Brown-Fuller was announced the winner, at the count in West Sussex.

World leaders have passed their congratulations to Sir Keir Starmer after the extraordinary election results overnight.

In a move that signalled the potential for closer ties with the European Union, its president Ursula von der Leyen said she looked forward to a 'constructive partnership' with Sir Keir.

French president Emmanuel Macron said he had been 'pleased' with his first phone call with the Labour leader.

Meanwhile Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said he wanted to 'build a more progressive, fair future for people on both sides of the Atlantic'.

Sir Ed Davey said the Liberal Democrats' first campaign will be 'for an emergency budget for health and care'.

After joking that he 'didn't even have to paraglide in' - a reference to his many high profile stunts during the election campaign - he thanked voters for 'trusting us again'.

Speaking from Lib Dem HQ in central London, he said:

I want to thank you for trusting us again. We will not let you down.

Trust is a very precious commodity.

Our first campaign, that starts today, is a campaign for an emergency budget this month for health and care.

Every Liberal Democrat MP will be the voice for carers and we are going to make sure your voice is heard like never before.

Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been seen leaving Conservative Party headquarters in Westminster this morning as he heads to Buckingham Palace.

The Tory leader is set to submit his resignation to King Charles III as Sir Keir Starmer gets ready to take over as PM.

Mr Sunak spent around 40 minutes inside Tory HQ, speaking to the party rank and file after a sobering night for the Conservatives which saw them fall to few than 130 seats in their worst ever election result.

If you are just waking up or checking the news for the first time this morning, it has been a dramatic night with Labour storming to a landslide victory in the election.

However, it has been a sobering night for the Conservatives, with numerous Tory grandees have lost their seats including:

• Liz Truss
• Jacob Rees-Mogg
• Penny Mordaunt
• Grant Shapps
• Gillian Keegan
• Lucy Frazer
• Johnny Mercer
• Alex Chalk
• Robert Buckland
• Michael Fabricant

You see the full list of the heavy hitters who have lost their seats here.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has tweeted his congratulations to Keir Starmer following Labour's landslide victory in the election.

The premier of Ukraine said he looked forward to working with the new Prime Minister on 'strengthening the Ukraine-UK partnership and restoring international peace and security'.

He also passed along his thanks to his 'good friend' Rishi Sunak for his support following Russia's invasion, adding that 'Ukraine will never forget' the help offered under his watch.

Outgoing Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride suggested a reliance on support from older voters is a 'very serious issue' for the Conservative Party.

Mr Stride, who clung onto his Devon Central seat by just 61 votes earlier today, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme:

You need to have the trust of the electorate in order to be elected and you need to have a very clear mission and offering, and a very clear plan that people believe will be delivered upon.

I think we had problems probably with both of those issues. I think there are clearly things that have happened in the past that were mistakes.

If you're a political party and it's really only those who are 65 years or older that you can reliably count upon to vote more for you than other parties, then clearly there is a very serious issue.

But those are very big issues and, as I say, the biggest thing we can do now is to recognise there needs to be a process, we need to have a mature and measured way in which we go about rebuilding the party and rebuilding our agenda. We can do this.

Rishi Sunak has been pictured arriving at Conservative Party headquarters in Westminster this morning where he is addressing members after a harrowing night for the Tories.

The Tory leader travelled down from his constituency in North Yorkshire overnight and is expected to travel to Buckingham Palace later today to submit his resignation to King Charles III.

This is the somewhat bizarre moment former Conservative minister Steve Baker launched a rant at George Osborne in response to a question posed by Ed Balls.

Mr Baker was asked if the voters 'had got it wrong' as he declared a Labour government would be a 'disaster' during an ITV interview.

Appearing to believe Mr Osborne asked him the question, Mr Baker began objecting saying he had a 'long history' with the former chancellor.

Watch the encounter here:

Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has said a 'changed Labour Party can now change Britain'.

Sir Tony, in a message to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, said:

My heartfelt congratulations to Keir on a stunning victory and an historic achievement.

To take the Labour Party from where it was to where it is now has taken immense skill, courage and leadership.

He has done an absolutely brilliant job, as have the amazing Labour team and candidates. I feel a huge sense of pride in them all.

A changed Labour Party can now change Britain.

A white van and truck have arrived outside 10 Downing Street ahead of the change in Prime Minister

A white van, with the company name “Euro self drive: van and truck hire”, parked around the side of Number 10.

A larger unbranded white truck parked in front of the van with its back door open.

Journalists are also assembling in Downing Street ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's arrival later today

There are now less than 10 results to wait for in the 2024 general election

So with just nine seats yet to declare let's recap how each party has done so far:

• Labour - 410 seats
• Conservative - 119
• Lib Dems - 71
• SNP - 8
• Sinn Fein - 7
• Green - 4
• Reform - 4

Rishi Sunak has landed in London after flying from Teesside to RAF Northolt.

The outgoing prime minister will travel to Buckingham Palace to formally resign in front of King Charles

The Tories today blamed Rishi Sunak for the party's electoral rout as Suella Braverman used her victory speech to kickstart her campaign to be the next leader.

Mr Sunak is being blamed for the Tory collapse and is already facing the wrath of senior Conservatives, many of whom slammed his decision to call a July election.

He is expected to resign today but could stay on as leader over the summer to stave off a civil war caused by the worst general election result in modern history.

Read Martin Robinson's report here:

Tory minister Steve Baker has lost Wycombe to Labour candidate Emma Reynolds.

Mr Baker was earlier told by the BBC he had less than a 1% chance of winning the seat.

See the moment below:

We can now bring you footage from the count at Birmingham Yardley where Labour MP Jess Phillips asked for hecklers to be thrown out after she was booed during her acceptance speech.

Ms Phillips said the election had been the 'worst' she has stood in.

See the video below:

Outgoing Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has won Devon Central, beating Labour and holding on to his seat by a margin of 61 votes.

Amid a stomping win for Labour emerging this morning have been signs the party's row over its stance on Gaza has proven divisive and disastrous.

A shock defeat in Leicester South for Jonathan Ashworth by a pro-Gaza independent candidate became the symbol of discontent with the Labour leadership among many Muslim and younger voters.

Meanwhile Conservative chairman Sir Iain Duncan Smith was re-elected in Chingford and Woodford Green after the last minute replacement of Labour's Faiza Shaheen over her support on social media for controversial posts on anti-Semitism and Palestine.

Read Elizabeth Haigh's report here:

Former prime minister Liz Truss has lost her Norfolk South West seat to Labour.

The candidates were left waiting on stage for several minutes for the announcement of the result as they waited for the Ms Truss to appear.

Some of those watching began a slow hand clap before Ms Truss appeared, without wearing a Conservative rosette.

Labour's Terry Jermy won the seat with 11,847 votes.

It was 630 votes more than Ms Truss on 11,217.

In 2019, Ms Truss was elected with a huge majority of 26,195.

See video from the count below:

Co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay described the party winning four seats as 'incredible'.

Speaking to BBC News, he added:

I’m truly humbled by the level of support from people.

Mr Ramsay said that voters were turning to the Greens because they’re looking for a 'positive alternative'.

The Green Party won seats in Waveney Valley, North Herefordshire and Bristol Central, and retained Brighton Pavilion.

For those of you just joining us or waking up, you can see the results of the 2024 general election with MailOnline's catalogue of live-updating maps and charts.

Readers can view the constituency-by-constituency results through two maps, both of which reveal which party won and how much by.

One illustrates the UK's real, geographical boundaries whereas the other showcases the results of Keir Starmer's contest with Rishi Sunak proportionally, with all 650 seats broken down as individual hexagons.

See our live-updating maps and charts here:

Outgoing Home Secretary James Cleverly has warned 'there is nothing honourable in presenting simple and thin solutions to challenging and complex problems'.

The Braintree MP, who has held his seat, has spoken following a disastrous election night for the Conservatives.

This has been a very difficult night for my party and losing the position of government of this country is painful, but it is the nature of our democracy that it happens.

And when it happens it is incumbent upon I suppose all parties, but particularly the party leaving government, to listen carefully to what the voters are telling us.

I am not going to rush to any quick judgments. I think the right thing to do is be thoughtful and take a short period of time to really assess what the voters are telling us, but it is clear that, when you see the vote share of the traditional main parties of government, that many voters are disillusioned with all of us.

And we should take that on board.

Sir Keir Starmer will today head to Downing Street to start his premiership after Labour stormed to a huge landslide in the general election.

With more than 50 seats yet to declare, the party is approaching 400 MPs with strong performances across England, Scotland and Wales.

Conversely, the Tories have suffered their worst ever defeat at a general election with 10 cabinet ministers losing their seats as Labour, Lib Dems, Reform UK and the Greens gained seats from them.

Here's some of the key results you need to know:

• Nigel Farage has won a parliamentary election at the eighth attempt after winning in Clacton
• Jeremy Corbyn defeated Labour in Islington North as an Independent candidate
• George Galloway lost his seat in Rochdale to Labour just five months after he won a by-election
• Tory chairman Richard Holden won his seat in Basildon and Billericay by just 20 votes following a recount
• Labour frontbenchers Jonathan Ashworth and Thangam Debbonaire lost elections while the Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay won their counts.
• Senior Conservative and former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg lost his seat in Somerset to Labour

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has been defeated by Labour in the Forest of Dean.

Mr Harper becomes the tenth cabinet minister to lose their seat after he was defeated by just 278 votes by Labour candidate Matt Bishop.

Full results below:

• Labour - 16,373
• Conservative - 16,095
• Reform - 8,194
• Green - 4,735
• Lib Dem - 2,604

The fun just doesn't stop with Sir Ed Davey.

Despite an end to an election campaign that was littered with stunts that usually saw him fall into water, the Lib Dem leader sang Sweet Caroline with supporters at a party following the election results.

The party has so far won more than 60 seats including key victories over the Conservatives in areas the party targeted.

See the video below:

Jess Phillips faced boos when she gave her acceptance speech following a tight victory in Birmingham Yardley.

Ms Phillips held onto her seat but her victory was by a fine margain with fewer than 700 votes separating her and the Workers' Party candidate.

She backed a backlash in the constituency over Labour's response to the Gaza conflict.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has won Waveney Valley, defeating the Conservatives.

He joins Carla Denyer who was also elected to Parliament as the new MP for Bristol Central.

The constituency was newly created following a boundary review.

Full results below:

• Greens - 20,467
• Conservative - 14,874
• Reform UK - 7,749
• Labour - 4,621
• Liberal Democrats - 1,214
• SDP - 118

Our Political Editor James Tapsfield reports jubilant Keir Starmer boasted 'we did it' today after Rishi Sunak conceded he lost the election - and said 'sorry' to vanquished Tories.

Sir Keir trumpeted his victory at a rally in central London after the party formally crested the 325 seats needed to control the Commons.

He said the British people had 'voted to turn the page' on 14 years of Conservative rule - but delivered a riposte to his critics saying there was 'nothing inevitable' about the outcome.

Read James's report here:

We are now waiting for less than 100 declarations at counts across the country.

Out of 545 results declared, Labour has won 372 seats with a 35.6% share of the vote.

The Conservatives have 90 seats and a 22.8% vote share.

The Liberal Democrats have triumphed in 50 constituencies with 11.2% of the overall vote, while Reform UK have 14.5% of the vote, translating to success in four seats.

The SNP has five seats, Plaid Cymru is on four, Sinn Fein has six and the DUP has four.

The Green Party has 6.8% of the votes and two seats.

Labour grandee Neil Kinnock condemned George Galloway as a 'repulsive cancer' after the veteran left-winger lost the seat in Rochdale just five months after winning it in a by-election

The leader of the Workers Party of Britain, who did not even show up at the count in Rochdale, received 11,508 votes, losing out to Labour's Paul Waugh who won with 13,047 votes.

It comes after Galloway only won the seat in a February by-election, having overturned a Labour majority of 9,668.

Read more here:

Labour has overturned more than a decade of SNP domination at Westminster by securing a majority of Scottish seats.

Labour sealed their resurgence in Scotland after passing the 29-seat threshold.

Earlier, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (pictured) said he was 'confident' his party will win the election in Scotland and secure a majority north of the border.

In the 2019 general election, Labour returned just one MP north of the border to the SNP’s 48.

Another world leader has congratulated Sir Keir Starmer following his election victory.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he is looking forward to working constructively with his “friend” after Labour’s election victory.

'Congratulations to my friend and new UK Prime Minister (Sir Keir) on his resounding election victory – I look forward to working constructively with the incoming (Labour) Government,' he posted to X.

The Tories have lost all their MPs in Wales after Welsh Secretary David TC Davies lost his seat in Monmouthshire to Labour.

Mr Davies became the ninth cabinet minister to lose their seat - a record for the party's worst performance ever in an election.

He joins the following ministers who have already lost at the ballot box

• Alex Chalk - Justice Secretary
• Grant Shapps - Defence Secretary
• Simon Hart - Chief Whip
• Johnny Mercer - Veterans Minister
• Penny Mordaunt - House of Commons Leader
• Gillian Keegan - Education Secretary
• Lucy Frazer - Culture Secretary
• Michelle Donelan - Science Secretary

Jeremy Hunt narrowly held on to his seat in Godalming and Ash as he held off a challenge from the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Hunt, who was previously health secretary and foreign secretary during 11 years at the top of government, was tipped to be the biggest scalp on the night.

See his acceptance speech below:

Rishi Sunak’s former parliamentary aide Craig Williams has lost his seat, after he was embroiled in the Westminster betting scandal.

Mr Williams, who admitted to having a 'flutter' on the General Election date, was predicted to hold his seat in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, but it was Labour’s Stephen Witherden who succeeded.

Tory support was withdrawn from Mr Williams following the revelation.

In a post on X, Mr Witherden said he was 'beyond humbled' to have been elected.

Canadian premier Justin Trudeau became the first world leader to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer on his election victory.

Mr Trudeau said he was looking forward to building a fairer future for people on both sides of the Atlantic.

Senior Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg has lost his North East Somerset and Hanham seat to Labour.

Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC he can't 'blame anybody other than myself' and that it had been a 'very bad night for the Conservatives'.

But he added there was a 'small silver lining' that the Tories will be the official opposition after some polls projected a third place finish behind Reform

Sir Keir Starmer said it 'feels good, I have to be honest' as results continued to be declared across the country

The Labour leader said:

We did it. You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it, and now it has arrived: change begins now.

It feels good, I have to be honest. Four and a half years of work changing the party, this is is what it is for: a changed Labour Party ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people.

And across our country, people will be waking up to the news, relief that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed from the shoulders of this great nation.

And now we can look forward, walk into the morning, the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger through the day, shining once again, on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back.

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Labour's victory rally in London where he began his speechg by saying, 'we did it.'

The Labour leader said the UK was waking up this morning to 'the sunlight of hope', which was 'shining once again on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back'.

Watch the video below:

Labour has officially reached 326 seats and will form the next government with Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

Labour has reached 300 seats as 416 constituency results have been declared, securing 37.4% share of the vote.

The Conservatives have 58 seats and a 21.2% vote share.

The Liberal Democrats have won in 37 constituencies with 10.6% of the overall vote, while Reform UK have 14.9% of the vote, translating to success in four seats.

The SNP has four seats and Plaid Cymru is on four.

The Green Party has 6.9% of the votes and one seat.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has held off the Lib Dems to hold Godalming and Ash for the Conservatives.

Eight Cabinet ministers have now lost their seats in the General Election, beating the previous record of seven Cabinet ministerial defeats in 1997.

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan has become the latest to face defeat after losing her Melksham and Devizes constituency to the Lib Dems.

Rishi Sunak said he took “responsibility” for his party’s loss, had called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory and would say more later in London.

Mr Sunak, his wife and their security and entourage left the election count as soon as he had finished making a speech after the result was declared.

Other candidates continued to mill around the count hall, with some seen shaking hands with one another.

See the video below:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has conceded the general election during his acceptance speech after holding his seat in Richmond and Northallerton.

Labour's shadow health secretary has survived a scare in Ilford North after he won by just 528 votes from Independent candidate Leanne Mohamad.

Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has won Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley.

We can now bring you footage of the moment Suella Braverman apologised during her acceptance speech after she held her seat in Fareham.

See the video below:

Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott has won Sevenoaks.

Tory former deputy prime minister Dame Therese Coffey has been defeated by Labour in Suffolk Coastal.

Rishi Sunak has arrived at the election count in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in his first appearance since an exit poll predicting the worst Conservative defeat at a general election in history.

See the video below:

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has been defeated by the Liberal Democrats in Ely and East Cambridgeshire.

Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick has won Newark for the Conservatives.

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer has been defeated by Labour in Plymouth Moor View.

SNP leader John Swinney said his party’s result at the General Election has been 'very poor' and the party will have to do a lot of 'soul searching'.

The party has so far won just four seats and lost constituencies to Labour.

The Scottish First Minister told the BBC:

It’s a very poor result for the SNP tonight.

There will have to be a lot of soul searching as a party as a consequence of these results that have come in tonight.

Penny Mordaunt has become the fifth Conservative cabinet minister to lose her seat after Labour gained Portsmouth North.

In her concession speech, Ms Mordaunt said her party had taken a 'battering because it failed to honour the trust that people had placed in it'.

Afraid about the cost-of-living or accessing healthcare, or whether the responsibility you shoulder will be recognised and rewarded. That fear steals the future, and it only makes the present matter and that is why we lost.

Our renewal as a party and a country will not be achieved by us talking to an ever smaller slice of ourselves but being guided by the people of our country. And if we want again to be the natural party of government, then our values must be the people’s.

I’ve lost many good colleagues tonight but I hope that like me they intend to carry on serving their communities with even stronger heart, our country needs all of us.

Full results below:

Labour - 14,495

Conservative - 13,715

Reform - 8,501

Lib Dems - 3,031

Greens - 1,851

Former Reform leader Richard Tice has become the party's third MP in Boston joining Lee Anderson and Nigel Farage in Parliament.

Four Conservative cabinet ministers have so far lost their seats while the party chairman Richard Holden squeaked through by 20 votes.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Chief Whip Simon Hart, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk have all been beaten at the ballot box and there is belief Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Penny Mordaunt could join them.

Tory party chairman Richard Holden has won in Basildon and Billericay by just 20 votes.

Holden secured 12,905 votes compared to the Labour candidate's 12,885.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has beaten Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central.

Ms Denyer declared 'history' had been made in Bristol Central after she beat Labour’s frontbencher to win the seat.

We did it! Bristol, we made history… thank you so much to the people of Bristol Central who have elected me as their MP,” she posted to X, formerly Twitter.

As this city’s first Green MP, I promise to be a strong, independent voice for Bristol’s values, pushing the govt to be bolder on the issues that matter.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has been beaten by the Liberal Democrats in Chichester.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman has held her seat in Fareham.

Ms Braverman said 'I’m sorry' twice during her speech after winning the Hampshire seat.

She said:

I want to briefly address the result in the rest of the country and there is only one thing that I can say – sorry. I’m sorry.

I’m sorry that my party didn’t listen to you. (The) Conservative Party has let you down. You – the Great British people voted for us over 14 years and we did not keep our promises. We’ve acted as if we’re entitled to your vote regardless of what we did, regardless of what we didn’t do, despite promising time after time that we would do those things and we need to learn our lesson because if we don’t, bad as tonight has been for my party, we’ll have many worse nights to come.

The country deserves better and we’ve got to do better and I will do everything in my power to rebuild trust. We need to listen to you – you have spoken to us very clearly.

Chief Whip Simon Hart has lost to Plaid Cymru in a major blow for the Tories.

Nigel Farage has declared Reform is 'coming for Labour' in his victory speech after being elected the new MP for Clacton.

Mr Farage said:

What is interesting is, there’s no enthusiasm for Labour, there’s no enthusiasm for Starmer whatsoever. In fact, about half of the vote is simply an anti-Conservative vote.

This Labour government will be in trouble very, very quickly and we will now be targeting Labour votes.

We’re coming for Labour, be in no doubt about that.

Believe me folks, this is just the first step of something that is going to stun all of you.

See the video below:

Conservative Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has won Louth and Horncastle.

SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has won Aberdeen South.

Mr Flynn secured 15,213 votes to the Labour candidate’s 11,455.

Flynn was first elected to Aberdeen South in 2019.

Jonathan Gullis has lost his seat to Labour in Stoke on Trent North.

With 150 constituency results declared, Labour has won 118 seats with a 39.9% share of the vote.

The Conservatives have 15 seats and a 21.2% vote share.

The Liberal Democrats have won in 14 constituencies with 10.1% of the overall vote, while Reform UK have 16.3% of the vote, translating to success in one seat.

The Green Party has 6.5% of the votes.

Nigel Farage has become an MP at the eighth time of asking after winning in Clacton for Reform.

Mr Farage said his Reform party’s performance in the General Election was 'truly extraordinary' after his win in Clacton.

He added:

There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it.

Full results below:

• Reform - 21,225
• Conservatives - 12,820
• Labour - 7,448
• Lib Dems - 2,016
• Greens - 1,935
• Independent - 317

Jonathan Ashworth has LOST his seat to an Independent candidate in Leicester South.

Jeremy Corbyn has defeated Labour in Islington North.

The former Labour leader beat his old party to become the independent MP for Islington North after securing more than 24,000 votes.

Mr Corbyn said during his victory speech:

I owe my life and my learning and my abilities entirely to the people of Islington North. This victory is dedicated entirely to them.

Emily Thornberry has reacted with glee after learning George Galloway had lost in Rochdale.

LBC reporter Guy Stewart captured Ms Thornberry's reaction.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has become the second cabinet minister to lose his seat after Labour candidate Andrew Lewin gained Welwyn Hatfield.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk had earlier lost his seat in Cheltenham to the Liberal Democrats.

In his farewell speech, Mr Shapps said it was 'clear tonight that Britain will have a new government in the morning.'

Full results in Welwyn Hatfield below:

• Labour - 19,877
• Conservative - 16,078
• Reform - 6,397
• Lib Dems - 3,117
• Greens - 2,986

Following his re-election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he had to thank his wife Vic and his family 'more than anyone' for keeping him 'grounded'.

See the video below:

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has LOST his seat to Labour.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said 'you have voted, it is now time for us to deliver' in his speech after winning re-election to Parliament.

Sir Keir is likely to make his next speech outside Downing Street with Labour on course for a landslide majority.

Full results below:

• Labour - 18,884
• Independent - 7,312
• Green - 4,030
• Conservative - 2,776
• Reform - 2,371
• Lib Dems - 2,236

George Galloway has reacted to his election defeat in Rochdale and vowed his party is 'here to stay' in the constituency.

Read his tweet:

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has held her seat in Ashton-under-Lyne.

In her acceptance speech Ms Rayner said:

Today is our chance to turn the page and start a new chapter.

To tackle the cost of living crisis and to make work pay.

To give working people the new deal you deserve and provide homes that we need.

To rebuild the public services on which we rely and to ensure every community across our country shares in our national success.”

Full results below:

• Labour - 15,573
• Reform - 8,784
• Conservative - 4,375
• Workers' Party - 2,835
• Green - 2,481
• Lib Dem - 1,411

Sir Keir Starmer has held his seat in Holborn and St Pancras.

Our Political Editor James Tapsfield reports top Tories are bracing to be swept away in Keir Starmer's red tide today as election results roll in.

A host of big beasts, including Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps and Penny Mordaunt could fall victim to the purge.

Welsh Secretary David Davies has already conceded defeat and the Lib Dems claim they have defeated Education Secretary Gillian Keegan in Chichester - as well as taking out Justice Secretary Alex Chalk and a host of others.

Read James's report here:

It might be a different story in Islington North but Labour have held Islington South with Emily Thornberry declared the MP.

Full results below:

• Labour - 22,946
• Greens - 7,491
• Lib Dems - 4,045
• Conservative - 3,584

Lee Anderson has said he was 'delighted but not surprised' at winning the party’s first 2024 seat in Parliament.

Speaking after his victory in Ashfield, Reform UK’s first MP said:

This is the capital of common sense, by the way – people speak their mind in this area, and they’ve had enough of the two mainstream parties.

The Reform Party, people like myself, Richard (Tice) and Nigel (Farage) speak the same language, in a different accent obviously, we speak the same language as the great people of Ashfield.

So when this gig came up and I was asked to stand again for the Reform Party, it was a no-brainer to be honest with you

See the video below:

Labour has won the Kilmarnock and Loudoun seat in the first election result announced in Scotland.

Lillian Jones won with 19,065 votes, beating the SNP’s Alan Brown.

He had held the seat since 2015.

After being elected for Labour in Kilmarnock and Loudon, Lillian Jones said:

I know many people will have either voted Scottish Labour for the first time at this election or will have come back to vote Scottish Labour.

This was a vote for change.

The Labour councillor also thanked fellow candidates, particularly SNP candidate Alan Brown, who previously held the seat.

She praised his work “championing his constituents” adding: 'Thank you very much Alan'.

Crowds have gathered in the offices of Camden Council to hear the result in Holborn and St Pancras, where Sir Keir Starmer is seeking re-election.

Count staff and party activists have lined three floors of balconies overlooking the stage where the result will be announced.

Broadcaster Kate Garraway waved to Sir Keir and shouted: 'Hello Keir, congratulations Prime Minister.'

Members of the crowd cheered.

Watch footage of Sir Keir's arrival below:

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has held his seat in Kingston and Surbiton.

Sir Ed won with 25,870 votes, ahead of his Conservative rival Helen Edward on 8,635, after his stunt-packed campaign.

He said:

It has been a great privilege to serve Kingston and Surbiton and this great community over many years and I’m humbled that you’ve given me the chance to serve you again, so let me start by saying a big thank you.

Sir Ed added:

Now I don’t know if you could tell, but I’ve rather enjoyed this campaign.

But what I’ve loved most hasn’t been the paddleboarding or the bungee jumping, it’s been speaking to people here in Kingston and Surbiton and across the United Kingdom, about the challenges they face and their hopes for the future.

Results are coming in thick and fast now but we will endeavour to bring you all the results as they are declared

Barnsley South - winner is Stephanie Peacock

• Labour - 16,399
• Reform - 11,651
• Conservative - 3,247
• Greens - 1,521
• Lib Dems - 1,172

Bootle - winner is Peter Dowd

• Labour - 26,729
• Reform - : 4746
• Green - 3904
• Conservatives - 1674
• Lib Dem - 1301
• Workers Party - 525

Putney - winner Fleur Anderson

• Labour - 20,952
• Conservative - 10,011
• Lib Dem - 5,189
• Greens - 3,182
• Reform UK - 2,681
• Workers Party - 433
• Rejoin EU - 289

Tynemouth - winner is Alan Campbell

• Labour - 24,491
• Conservative - 9,036
• Reform - 7,392
• Lib Dem - 2,709

Labour candidate Paul Waugh has defeated Workers' Party leader George Galloway in Rochdale.

Mr Galloway did not stand on the stage when the results were declared.

Lee Anderson has become Reform UK’s first elected MP, winning in Ashfield

Full results:

Reform - 17,062

Labour - 11,553

Conservatives - 3,271

Green - 1,100

Lib Dem - 619

Labour has notched another victory in Wiltshire with the party winning in Swindon North after earlier beating Robert Buckland in Swindon South

Will Stone is the new MP

Full results below:

• Labour - 17,930
• Conservatives - 13,827
• Reform: - 7,557
• Green - 2,366
• Lib Dem - 2,086

Two Labour victories either side of the Pennines as the party holds Blackpool South and Barnsley North

Results in Blackpool South

• Labour - 16,916
• Reform: - 10,068
• Conservatives - 5,504
• Green - 1,207
• Lib Dem - 1,041

And in Barnsley North

• Labour - 18,610
• Reform: - 10,799
• Conservatives - 3,083
• Green - 1805
• Lib Dem - 1,336

As of 2am, Labour has won 15 seats out of 18 declarations.

The Lib Dems have won two seats and the Conservatives have one

Rachel Reeves, the woman likely to become the UK's first female chancellor, has won her count in Leeds West and Pudsey.

Full results below:

• Labour - 18,976
• Conservatives - 6,584
• Reform - 6,281
• Green - 3,794
• Lib Dems - 1,743
• Workers Party - 633

The Liberal Democrats have picked up a victory in Hampshire after candidate Liz Jarvis was declared the new MP for Eastleigh.

Full results below:

• Lib Dems - 15,970
• Conservatives - 14,424
• Labour - 7,005
• Reform - 6,151
• Green - 2,403
• Independent - 467

Labour candidate Annaliese Midgley has been elected the new MP for Knowsley

Full results below:

• Labour - 24,243
• Reform - 5,924
• Green - 2,772
• Conservative - 1,496
• Lib Dem - 1,232

Labour have gained another seat from the Conservatives after candidate Lola McEvoy was declared the winner in Darlington.

Full results below:

• Labour: - 16,621
• Conservative - 14,323
• Reform - 6,852
• Green - 2,847
• Lib Dem - 1,735

A recount is under way in Basildon and Billericay, where Tory chairman Richard Holden is standing.

Mr Holden was criticised after he parachuted himself into the seat which was seen as a safe Conservative one.

Labour candidate Jodie Gosling has been elected MP for Nuneaton as the party gained the seat from the Conservatives

Full results below:

• Labour - 15,216
• Conservatives - 11,737
• Reform - 9,059
• Green - 2,894
• Lib Dems - 1,340

The Conservatives have held their first seat of the election as candidate Mark Francois has held Rayleigh and Wickford

Full results below:

• Conservative - 17,756
• Reform - 12,135
• Labour - 11,823
• Lib Dem - 4,068
• Greens - 2,196

Liberal Democrat candidate Tom Gordon has won Harrogate and Knaresborough in the party’s first victory of the night.

The party has gained the seat from the Conservatives.

Full results below:

• Lib Dem - 23,976
• Conservative - 15,738
• Reform - 5,679
• Labour - 4,153
• Green - 1,762

Labour have won their ninth seat of the evening after candidate Emma Lewell-Buck was declared the winner in South Shields.

Full results below:

• Labour - 15,122
• Reform - 8,469
• Green - 5,433
• Conservative - 4,128
• Independent- 2,270
• Lib Dem - 4,987

First Jeremy Hunt now Gillian Keegan...

The Liberal Democrats claimed to have beaten the Education Secretary in Chichester.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman has arrived at her election count in Fareham where her officials are hopeful they can fend off the Liberal Democrats.

Ms Braverman has been an arch critic of Mr Sunak's leadership of the Conservatives and declared the election was 'over' before polling day.

Former Conservative minister Rory Stewart has said he is starting to think the exit poll may not be accurate.

Citing the rise of Reform in all the constituencies declared so far, he argued that when four parties are involved, all votes are stretched further.

He added the turnout is also down, which could also skew the projected results.

The exit poll has projected Labour will win 410 seats with the Conservatives on 131, Liberal Democrats on 61 and Reform UK with 13.

Counting is under way across the country with results expected to come thick and fast.

We will endeavour to bring you all the results once they are declared plus reaction from the leading parties.

Labour candidate Emma Foody has been elected MP for Cramlington and Killingworth in another win for the party in the North East.

Full results below:

• Labour - 22,274
• Reform - 9,454
• Conservative - 8,592
• Green - 2,134
• LibDem - 1,898

It means Labour have won 8 out of 8 so far.

Labour candidate Mark Ferguson has been elected MP for Gateshead Central and Wickham in another victory for the party in the North East.

Full results below:

• Labour - 18,245
• Reform - 8,601
• Conservative - 4,628
• Lib Dem - 4,987
• Green - 3,217
• Other - 3,756

One line we can bring you from earlier on...

Former Conservative minister Nadine Dorries accused Alastair Campbell of sexism after he made a comment about her loyalty to Boris Johnson and revealed the former Prime Minister had been texting her.

Appearing on Channel 4 as part of the broadcaster's election programme, hosted by Emily Maitlis and Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Ms Dorries clashed with the former Labour spokesperson just minutes after polls closed at 10pm.

Read Elizabeth Haigh's report here:

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is looking on course to win in Islington North, according to Labour sources.

Sky News Political Editor Beth Rigby said party sources had admitted it was 'looking difficult' for Labour in the seat.

Mr Corbyn, who is standing as an Independent, has arrived at the count and we are awaiting a result around 3am.

See video of Mr Corbyn's arrival below:

This is the moment Carol Vorderman gleefully exclaimed 'let's get the party started' as she reacted to the exit poll predicting the Tories would lose a landslide defeat to Labour.

Speaking on Channel 4, the former Countdown maths whizz said people had not forgotten Partygate, adding it is the reason why the Conservatives are projected to lose the election.

'I am so here for it,' she added, prompting laughs from the other Channel 4 studio guests.

She said she had seen people posting on social media that they were voting due to mistakes made and heartbreak caused by the pandemic.

See the video below:

The Liberal Democrats have claimed victory in Tunbridge Wells, long ahead of the declaration.

On the campaign trail in June, party leader Sir Ed Davey took part in an assault course in Kent with the party’s candidate Mike Martin.

A Liberal Democrat source said:

They’re set to elect a Lib Dem local champion in former British Army officer Mike Martin, who will stand up for the community.

Dame Margaret Hodge on Sky has said there appears to be a lower turnout as she gave her reaction to a poll showing Labour has won a landslide.

She said:

We are seeing a lower turnout and a little bit to Reform. That reflects how there really is no trust in politics, we've known about that for some time. I did some work after 2001 GE, my own consistency, barking, because we had a low turnout

What came out of focus groups was that people were not voting not because theyw were apathetic because they were angry.

What we are seeing anger with Tory government for all the way they behaved, impunity, lying, giving contracts to their friends, giving peerages, honours, all those things to their mates.

That has led to huge huge anger and distrust.

Labour's Sharon Hodgson has been elected MP for Washington and Gateshead South

Full results below:

• Labour - 17, 682
• Reform UK - 10,769
• Conservative - 4,654
• Greens - 1,687
• Lib Dems - 1,062
• Independent - 627

A Liberal Democrat source said they were confident the party would defeat Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the new constituency of Godalming and Ash.

The constituency Mr Hunt is contesting is 81% likely to go to the Liberal Democrats according to the exit poll for Sky News, BBC and ITV News.

The Liberal Democrat source said:

The exit poll is obviously encouraging. It’s early in the night. But we are confident.

Labour's Chi Onwurah has been elected MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne Central & West in a fifth victory out of five seats.

Full results below:

• Labour - 18,875
• Conservative - 4,228
• Independent - 3,627
• Reform - 7,815
• Other - 5,174

Sir Robert Buckland said politics is at a 'crossroads' and the Conservative Party must make the 'right choice' if it is to inspire a new generation as he warned against 'politics as mere circus' in his farewell speech.

The former justice secretary said:

Our very political system is at a crossroads. Do we value those who work to bring people together and to come into politics to do something rather than be someone?

Or do we shrug our shoulders and accept politics as a mere circus where people compete for attention by saying things that they either know to be untrue, or which raise hopes and expectations in a way that further erodes trust?

I know what side I’m on, I know what choice I would make, and I believe with sincere and fierce conviction that my party has to make the right choice too, if we are to inspire a new generation with the real promise of a better future.

Watch below as Swindon South is declared:

You can see results of the 2024 general election roll in throughout the night with MailOnline's catalogue of live-updating maps and charts.

Readers can view the constituency-by-constituency results through two maps, both of which reveal which party won and how much by.

One illustrates the UK's real, geographical boundaries whereas the other showcases the results of Keir Starmer's contest with Rishi Sunak proportionally, with all 650 seats broken down as individual hexagons.

See our live-updating maps and charts here:

Rishi Sunak will announce his resignation as Conservative leader on Friday morning, according to The Sunday Times Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has described the early results as 'huge' after his party pushed the Tories into third place in two early constituency results.

On a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, he said:

It’s midnight, there are two results in from the north-east of England that put Reform on 30% of the vote, that is way more than any possible prediction or projection. It is almost unbelievable.

And what does it mean? It means we’re going to win seats, many many seats I think right now across the country.

But to watch the TV coverage it’s almost comical. There’s not a single representative on there from Reform UK, mainstream media are in denial just as much as our political parties.

This is going to be six million votes-plus. This, folks, is huge.

See video of MailOnline reporter Romy Grigg reporting live from Clacton:

Labour have gained Swindon South from the Conservatives with former justice secretary Robert Buckland losing his seat to Heidi Alexander.

Full results below:

• Labour - 21,676
• Conservative - 12,070
• Independent - 472
• Green - 2,539
• Reform - 6,194
• Lib Dem - 1,843

Scottish independence 'wasn’t really put front and centre' of the SNP’s campaign, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Speaking on ITV, the ex-SNP leader said:

I think one of the questions out of the SNP result tonight is whether they’ve left themselves between two stools on the independence question because I think – in my view – it wasn’t really put front and centre.

The SNP decision to put their push for independence on 'page one, line one' of the manifesto gave the impression it was the 'big issue' of the party’s campaign and voters have 'cast their verdict on that'.

But it was never followed through on in a day to day basis in the campaign – we didn’t hear day after day after day SNP spokespeople make the case for why independence was an answer to the big issues at the heart of the election campaign

Labour have held Sunderland Central with Lewis Atkinson elected as MP.

Full results below:

• Labour: 16,852
• Reform: 10,779
• Conservative: 5,731
• Lib Dem: 3,602
• Other: 2,993

Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has told how he had doubts over the Rwanda policy as he was pressed on the scheme by Emily Maitlis.

Presenting on Channel 4, Ms Maitlis described the deportation plan to send asylum seekers to the African country as a 'dead duck'.

Mr Kwarteng said he always 'had doubts' over the policy but declined to say whether he would agree it is 'batsh*t crazy'.

Guess who's back...

Nigel Farage has arrived in Clacton where he is expected to win a parliamentary seat at the eighth time of asking.

His Reform UK party are projected to win 13 seats, according to the exit poll.

See the video below:

Senior Labour figures reacted with happy tears and cheers as news broke that the party is set for a huge landslide general election victory - with Wes Streeting breaking down and Andy Burnham celebrating like a football fan.

Mr Streeting, lined up to be the country's new Health Secretary, 'welled up' as the exit poll was revealed at 1pm - tipping Sir Keir Starmer's party for a majority of 170.

Read Aidan Radnedge's report here:

Former Tory minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said it is 'clearly a terrible night' for the Conservatives, adding that the party has taken votes for granted.

Sir Jacob told the BBC:

There’s no way of describing this as anything other than a bad night for the Conservative party.

Asked where it went wrong for the Tories, Sir Jacob said there were 'issues with changing the leader', adding:

Voters expect the prime minister they have chosen to remain the prime minister and for it to be the voters who decide when that person is changed.

I’m afraid I think the Conservative Party took it’s core vote for granted, which is why you see so many people who may have voted Conservative previously, going off to Reform.

Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne has congratulated 'Prime Minister Starmer' as he praised the Labour leader and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves on an 'incredible win'.

See the video below:

Ian Lavery has been re-elected MP for Blyth and Ashington in a second victory for Labour.

Full results below:

• Labour: 20,030
• Reform: 10,857
• Conservative: 6,121
• Green: 1,960
• Lib Dem: 1,422

Any Conservatives tuned into GB News when the exit poll was announced may have rubbed their eyes in disbelief...

The broadcaster had the Tories winning 410 seats instead of Labour in a blunder that has been mocked on social media.

See the video below:

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and veterans minister Johnny Mercer will lose their seats, the exit poll predicts.

There is a 94% chance the Labour Party take Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, from Mr Shapps and more than a 99% chance Labour take Plymouth Moor View previously held by Mr Mercer.

The predictions were made following Ipsos UK’s exit poll for Sky News, BBC and ITV News.

Bridget Phillipson has said voters have chosen 'hope and unity not decline and division' following her election victory.

She said in her victory speech:

Tonight the British people have spoken, and if the exit poll this evening is again a guide to results across our country as it so often is, then after 14 years the British people have chosen change.

They have chosen Labour and they have chosen the leadership of Keir Starmer. Today our country with its proud history has chosen a brighter future. The British people have decided that they believe as Labour believes that our best days lie ahead of us – hope and unity, not decline and division, stability over chaos.

A government powered by hope, by the belief that tomorrow cannot just be different from today, but better. A government of service, a government with purpose above all to change our society for good.

Labour's Bridget Phillipson, who will likely be the new Education Secretary, ahs been elected MP for Houghton and Sunderland South.

Here are the results:

• Labour: 18,847
• Conservative: 5,514
• Reform: 11,668
• Lib Dems: 2,290
• Green: 1,723

Labour’s shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has won Houghton and Sunderland South, the first constituency to report a result in the General Election.

We can now bring you footage of votes being counted with the first set of results expected soon.

The first seats to declare are likely to be Blyth and Ashington at around 11.30pm and Houghton and Sunderland South at around 11.45pm.

Both are in north-east England and both are defended by Labour.

Houghton and Sunderland South has been won by Bridget Phillipson for Labour at every election since the seat was created in 2010, where she is defending a narrow majority of 3,271, while Blyth and Ashington is a new constituency at this election, where Labour is defending a notional majority of 6,118.

See the video below:

Conservative cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt and Penny Mordaunt have less than a 50% chance of holding onto their seats, according to the exit poll.

The former leadership contenders are among a slew of senior Tories that face a nervy wait in the early hours along with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Home Secretary James Cleverly and even Rishi Sunak himself.

Elsewhere Labour face a battle to win Islington North from their former leader Jeremy Corbyn with the result apparently too close to call.

And Nigel Farage is set to enter Parliament at the eighth attempt with the poll predicting he will win the seat in Clacton.

Sir Keir Starmer will have a bulging in-tray of issues to swiftly deal with if – as is expected – he today wins the keys to No 10.

Several of them threaten to take the shine off any 'honeymoon' period enjoyed by the Labour leader and have appeared on a potential 'disaster list' drawn up by Sue Gray, his chief of staff.

Here, the Mail's Chief Political Correspondent David Churchill takes a look at some of the most pressing issues:

Steve Baker said it was a matter for Rishi Sunak whether he stays on as Tory leader during a likely period of 'recriminations'.

Asked whether Mr Sunak should step aside now, Mr Baker told BBC News: 'There will be undoubtedly recrimination, there will be shock, there will be anger, denial.'

He added:

I’m sure he will be reflecting on whether his role might be to be there for a while to get us through the recriminations phase.

But as I say, it’s a matter for him and knowing him reasonably well, I believe his mind will be set on what is right for the country and part of what is right for the country, and your viewers may not like it, but is having a functioning Conservative Party, and I’m sure he will be mindful of that.

Former Tory leader Lord Hague said although his party is on course for a 'pretty catastrophic result', a projection of 131 seats meant it was 'just about' able to mount an effective opposition.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said:

When you compare it to any previous election, even the one that I fought in 2001 when we got 166 seats, it’s a pretty catastrophic result. If that is the result… that would of course be a catastrophic result in historic terms for the Conservative Party.

It’s also set against, though, the expectations of all those predictions over the last few weeks, many of which have been that the Conservatives will get even fewer seats than that, even down to 64 seats in one prediction a couple of days ago.

And one of the things on my mind has been, since the Conservatives have been likely to lose the election for some time… can they form a viable opposition? And if it is 131 seats, if that turned out to be correct, you can just about mount an effective opposition with 131 seats.

Labour deputy Angela Rayner was grinning from ear to ear as she reacted to the exit poll giving Labour a landslide majority of 170 seats.

Ms Rayner said the poll was 'encouraging' as she spoke to Sky News from Manchester during heavy rain.

Speaking to Channel 4, Ms Rayner said: ''The exit poll is incredibly encouraging and I think it shows Keir's done a tremendous job transforming the party' since Jeremy Corbyn.'

Watch her interview on Sky News:

Jason Groves reports allies of Mr Sunak are tight-lipped about whether he will resign as Tory leader today or stay on to oversee a leadership contest.

But he will face intense pressure to quit immediately.

Former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns said:

If the leader doesn’t win a general election they step aside – that’s the normal protocol.

One senior Tory said: ‘This is the end for Sunak, Sunakism and everyone involved in it. It has been comprehensively rejected by the public and his decision to force out Boris Johnson can be seen for what it was – a disastrous mistake.’

The Daily Mail's Political Editor Jason Groves reports Sir Keir Starmer is on course for No 10 as the Tories crash to their worst defeat in history.

The official exit poll at 10pm predicts Labour will secure a huge majority of 170 – potentially setting up Sir Keir for a decade in power.

It forecast a crushing defeat for Rishi Sunak, whose controversial decision to call a snap election looks set to end in disaster.

It suggested Labour would win 410 seats, with the Conservatives on 131 and the Liberal Democrats on 61.

Reform is predicted to win 13 seats, while the SNP are set to suffer from the Labour surge and crash back to ten seats.

The projected Labour majority of 170 is nine short of Tony Blair’s 1997 win.

And although the Conservative Party is set to avoid total wipeout, it faces a long road to electoral recovery.

The prediction of 131 would be the lowest number of seats the Tories have had since the Conservative Party was founded in 1834. Former minister Steve Baker said it was a ‘pretty devastating night’ for the party.

The BBC's election night presenters Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie apologised to studio guest Steve Baker (pictured on Peston) for showing on screen a graphic suggesting he has a less than one per cent chance of holding on to his Wycombe seat.

He replied by saying he came into the campaign knowing he was 'widely expected to lose'.

I would think the dynamic in Wycombe is slightly different, I think my chances are a bit better.

It's just possible there's a path to winning narrowly, but I absolutely accept the polls indicate it's a very slight chance.

It's going to be an extremely painful night not only for colleagues but also their staff. It's a pretty devastating night for the Conservative party.

We can now bring you video of Conservative candidate and former justice secretary Robert Buckland to tonight's exit poll.

Watch the video below:

The SNP's former deputy leader Mhairi Black told Channel 4 News that 'rain' is partly to blame for her party's decimation.

The Scottish nationalists are projected to get just 10 seats, down from 48 in 2019.

She said:

The question was always how rough a night the SNP would have and if that exit poll's correct it's a really rough night.

Ms Black added there were three factors in the projection: the desire to get rid of the Conservatives, scandal within the SNP and turnout - which she said would be lower due to poor weather in Scotland.

Labour’s national campaign chief Pat McFadden said: Keir Starmer’s transformation of the Labour Party has been 'remarkable'.

He has put country before party and has transformed Labour from a party focused on itself to one back in the service of the British public. We have campaigned as a changed Labour Party, ready to change Britain.

But despite the exit poll indicating a landslide win, he added:

It’s going to be a long night, and it will be several hours until we know the full picture of results.

Labour will need a swing bigger than Tony Blair achieved in 1997 to achieve a majority of just one seat.

Sir Robert Buckland, the former Conservative cabinet minister, has given his reaction after the devastating exit poll for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.

He told Sky News:

We have to respect the scale of this likely defeat and learn from it.

It's going to take some time to come back from this. I was a candidate in 1997, I know what it's like to taste bitter defeat... The time for recrimination is not now. A lot needs to looked at in terms of the cumulative build up events that led to this whole scale rejection of Tories.

It would be a mistake for people in my party to jump to a conclusion that somehow allying with Reform would be the way forward.

This is going to a take a long time to recover.

Reform UK member Anne Widdicombe agreed she is 'jumping for joy' over the party's projected seat total.

She said she hopes the 'Conservatives might see sense' and 'come and join us' after the exit poll showed her new party will win 13 seats.

The former Tory MP - who was plagued by a cough during her answers - joined Reform, now led by Nigel Farage, after Brexit.

Speaking on Channel 4, she said the Conservatives 'need to have a jolly good look at what they are doing and think again'.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has welcomed the exit poll which estimates his party will win 61 seats in the general election.

He said:

The Liberal Democrats are on course for our best results in a century, thanks to our positive campaign with health and care at its heart.

I am humbled by the millions of people who backed the Liberal Democrats to both kick the Conservatives out of power and deliver the change our country needs.

Every Liberal Democrat MP will be a strong local champion for their community standing up for the NHS and care. Whether you voted for us or not, we will work day in and day out and we will not let you down.

The man poised to be Britain's next Prime Minister has voted campaigners and voters after an exit poll showed he will lead a majority in Number 10.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has just posted his first tweet since the exit poll was published.

Labour is on course for a landslide, according to the exit poll projection, with 410 seats.

Let's take a look at the early projection in numbers

• Labour - 410 seats
• Conservatives - 131
• Liberal Democrats - 61
• Reform UK - 13
• Green Party - 2
• SNP - 10
• Plaid Cymru - 4

If accurate, it would be the lowest number Tory MPs on record.

Read our breaking news story on the exit poll

The exit poll shows Labour is on course for a landslide majority with 410 seats.

If you know much about polling you'll have heard of Sir John Curtice.

Sir John, one of Britain's most eminent political scientists, will know the exit poll result before 10pm.

However, he risks imprisonment if he discloses the result, as publishing any information about voting outcomes

Watch the video below on how he copes on election night

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden has been knighted, while former deputy prime minister Therese Coffey has been made a dame.

The two Conservatives have been given top honours alongside three other party colleagues, with ex-defence secretary Ben Wallace and former chief whip Julian Smith both made knight commanders of the Order of the Bath, while former Scottish secretary Alister Jack has been made a knight of the Order of the British Empire.

Rishi Sunak has rewarded his right-hand man Liam Booth-Smith with a peerage, announced less than an hour before polls closed in the General Election.

Lord Booth-Smith, who had been Mr Sunak’s chief of staff in Downing Street, was included in the Prime Minister’s dissolution honours list.

Former prime minister Theresa May, ex-Cabinet minister Chris Grayling and former chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady will also take seats in the House of Lords.

Former deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing and ex-MP Craig Mackinlay, who has battled sepsis which cost him his hands and feet, have also been given peerages.

Former Cop26 president and Cabinet minister Sir Alok Sharma has also been made a peer.

At 10pm, we will learn the outcome of an exit poll which will give us the first indication of who has won the general election.

The poll itself is carried out by polling company Ipsos, jointly for BBC News, ITV News and Sky News.

It is calculated after voters at more than 130 polling stations are asked to fill in a mock ballot paper to indicate how they voted.

The actual results may vary but exit polls have proved to be accurate in recording previous elections.

Read more here:

Nigel Farage urged voters to head to their nearest polling station to back Reform in a video message earlier this evening.

The Reform UK leader shared a clip on his X page at around 7pm to persuade people returning from work who hadn't voted.

Mr Farage said: 'Please go out and do it, please go out and vote Reform UK. Don't do it me do it for yourselves, we're the only ones standing up for a brighter future'

See the video below

Voters now have just one hour to cast their ballots in the 2024 general election.

Party leaders, millions of members of the public and plenty of dogs have visited polling stations across Britain as the country elects its new Parliament.

We will learn the exit poll when the polls shut at 10pm before votes are counted and results declared across the country.

Stick with us for live coverage throughout the night.

The question many of you will ask yourselves tonight is what time to go to bed.

After the drama of the exit poll at 10pm there will be a wait for the results as counting takes place up and down the country.

In what promises to be a seismic election, MailOnline has put together a handy graphic detailing some of the key moments to look out for.

Rishi Sunak has issued a final appeal to voters to back the Conservatives at the ballot box warning them against handing a 'blank cheque' to Sir Keir Starmer.

See the Prime Minister's words below with less than two hours to go before the polls close.

See the video below:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the first party leader to be pictured casting his vote on election day before others visited polling stations across the country.

Let's take a look at the men and women who face a make or break moment in the early hours after votes have been counted.

Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader

Carla Denyer, Green Party co-leader

Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrats leader

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has joined Labour campaigners in Islington North to try and defeat his former boss Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn, who led the party in its disastrous 2019 election, is standing as an Independent in North London.

Mr Watson stood down as an MP in 2019.

As millions of people head to polling stations today, MailOnline has asked the all important question...which election candidates would you Snog, Marry or Avoid?

Our reporters took to the streets and put Brits on the spot as they reluctantly picked between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Reform UK's Nigel Farage.

See the results below:

A last major poll update this afternoon showed Labour's predicted majority dropping slightly to 270 seats as the general election entered its final hours.

An updated 'MRP' projection by Survation showed Sir Keir Starmer's party winning 470 seats, with the Tories reduced to 68 MPs in the House of Commons, just slightly ahead of the Liberal Democrats on 59.

Nigel Farage's Reform UK were on course to win 15 seats, nudging them one MP ahead of the SNP to likely become the UK's fourth-largest party.

Read Greg Heffer's report here:

Evening all,

The polls will close in just three hours before all the votes are counted and we learn who will be the next Prime Minister and our MPs.

We will bring you live coverage from throughout the evening and into Friday.

Labour will win a landslide majority - but many aren't happy - and several Gen-Zers admit they recall the leaders of the main political parties including Rishi Sunak because they are 'c**p' at remembering names, a MailOnline poll of readers reveals today.

Read the full story from chief reporter Martin Robinson:

Picture editors at the Agence France-Presse have compiled their top five photos from the General Election day so far. The first three are from Clacton-on-Sea.

The fourth image is a polling station at The Old Fire Station in Hackney, and the fifth is of Roly the dog in Sowerby, North Yorkshire.

Hundreds of dogs have appeared at polling stations today wearing bows, rosettes and colourful leads as the public go to vote in the General Election.

Here are some of the best pictures taken so far today:

Former prime minister Liz Truss has voted at Downham Market Town Council in Norfolk today and tweeted a photo of her outside.

By 5am tomorrow morning, she will learn if she is back in her seat of Norfolk South West, where she is defending a majority of 24,180.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is rallying up the final support for his campaign in Clacton-on-Sea today, travelling around the town on an army vehicle.

It comes after he entered his party's rally at the Essex town's pier yesterday on the same vehicle to the tune of Without Me by Eminem.

Huge queues are forming at a polling station in the Hampstead and Highgate constituency in North London where Labour's Tulip Siddiq is standing.

A post on X today showed SNP leader John Swinney in central Glasgow with an anti-SNP slogan written in chalk on the wall behind him.

But the slogan has been digitally added to the picture.

It comes after an SNP staff member uploaded a series of pictures of Mr Swinney in central Glasgow on June 29. The third of these shows the same picture, but without the offending graffiti.

The edited image appeared on X shortly afterwards.

On closer inspection, the text appears to be written in a default font available on Microsoft applications - 'Chiller' - as evidenced by matching characters. This further suggests the text was added after the picture was taken.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is one of six candidates in the new constituency of Godalming & Ash in Surrey, and has posted a video on X of him going into the polling station today.

He said: 'I think you know who I'm going to vote for!'

Mr Hunt could be at risk in the area, where he is defending a notional Tory majority of 10,720.

The seat has been heavily targeted by the Lib Dems, who need a swing of 9.7 points to win. A result is due at about 3.30am.

The exit poll is conducted each year by a consortium of broadcasters as an early prediction of how the vote may have swung.

Unlike a regular poll which asks voters what they might do in the election, the exit poll asks people who they have voted for as they leave their polling station.

Luckily for those with an early bedtime, scientists generally agree that the exit poll is a fairly accurate representation of the real vote. Read more on MailOnline:

'Britain's most tattooed woman' Becky Holt made headlines yesterday for an awkward run-in with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on ITV's This Morning.

She started her tattoo journey when she was 15 years old. Now, 21 years on and £40,000 later, she has tattooed almost every inch of her body.

Read about her incredible transformation in this new story on MailOnline today:

Earlier we brought you the MailOnline General Election Drinking Game which we've devised as a bit of fun to get through tonight.

Now, we've put together a new graphic with all the rules in one place:

The hashtag #dogsatpollingstations has become a highlight of election days for animal lovers online as people share photos of themselves exercising their pets and democratic rights at the same time – and this year has not disappointed.

Now, some pet owners have extended the trend further to include their cats, with an attempt to get the hashtag #catsatpollingstations going too:

Kemi Badenoch has attacked the local council in her North West Essex seat for having 'potentially disenfranchised' thousands of postal voters who have not received their ballots.

The Cabinet minister said up to 2,600 voters were affected by Uttlesford District Council 'forgetting' to send them their postal votes.

Writing on X on polling day, Ms Badenoch said: '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 a 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.'

The council's chief executive, Peter Holt, last week said he was 'mortified' and apologised for the error.

He said the council was delivering postal ballots by hand in a bid to resolve the matter, but warned a close result on election night could be challenged if a large proportion are not returned.

Actor Tony Robinson is among the celebrities who have been casting their ballots and encouraging others to vote in the General Election.

The Blackadder star shared a video of himself singing and dancing as he walked into his local polling station, holding his passport for photo ID.

He wrote: 'Vote TODAY. Vote Change. Vote Labour.'

Labour's Rachel Reeves has suggested she will demolish Jeremy Hunt's private urinal in the Treasury if she succeeds him as Chancellor.

Speaking ahead of today's general election, Ms Reeves hinted she would flush away all traces of her Tory predecessor if she's installed as Britain's first female Chancellor.

MailOnline's political correspondent Greg Heffer has the full story:

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has also voted today, and has now posted a video of him outside a polling station on Anglesey in North Wales:

There are dogs outside polling stations and then there are dogs outside polling stations!

Here, dozens of hounds from The Hursley Hambledon Hunt have been seen waiting outside the Meonstoke Village Hall polling station in the Hampshire countryside while members of the hunt cast their vote during their daily walk:

Scotland's political leaders were among the first to cast their votes as the nation’s polling stations opened their doors at 7am.

Scottish Conservatives urged everyone to have their say in a bid to deliver a knockout blow to the failing SNP.

Read the full story from Scottish Daily Mail reporter Krissy Storrar:

The co-leaders of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, have now cast their votes in Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively.

Mr Harvie was pictured giving a thumbs up as he cycled to a polling station at Notre Dame Primary School in Glasgow.

And Ms Slater took a selfie outside a polling station at Holyrood Evangelical Church in Edinburgh.

The Electoral Commission states that there are safeguards in place to prevent tampering with ballot papers.

Seals are attached to ballot boxes at the close of voting, and are removed only when the count begins.

Candidates are allowed to monitor the process and attach their own seals if they wish, and to check them before ballot boxes are opened.

The police investigated just 13 allegations of tampering with ballot papers during the 2019 general election, with only one leading to a conviction.

This was after a person entered a polling station and took hold of a ballot box, preventing other people from voting.

Despite six weeks of debates, manifestos and campaigning, more people are still undecided about how to vote today than at any previous General Election in living memory, writes MICHAEL HOWARD.

I have knocked on countless doors over many years, but never before have I come across so many yet to make up their minds. They are not being coy, or polite. I’m long enough in the tooth to know when people are concealing their true beliefs.

Read his full column on MailOnline this afternoon:

It's a lovely sunny day in London today, with photographers taking these shots of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben across the River Thames this afternoon:

Remainers were gloating today about the end of Brexit amid widespread expectations the general election will see the Tories booted out of office.

As millions of Brits headed to polling stations, those opposed to the UK's exit from the EU urged an incoming Labour government to think again on links with Brussels.

Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian prime minister who represented the European Parliament in Brexit talks, reckoned 'peak Brexit' had already been reached.

And Mike Galsworthy, chairman of pro-Remain campaign group European Movement UK, said polling day was the day 'the Brexit dream shuts up shop'.

Read the full story from MailOnline's political correspondent Greg Heffer:

Broadcast journalists are working in Downing Street this afternoon while others are setting up cameras ready for the votes to start coming in tonight.

It's a beautiful sunny day in Clacton-on-Sea today, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage going for a walkabout and others enjoying a drink outside:

The last constituencies expected to be declared in the UK are the following six at 6.30am tomorrow morning:

• Argyll, Bute & South Lochaber
• Farnham & Bordon
• Ilford North
• Ilford South
• Selby
• Wetherby & Easingwold

The Metropolitan Police has just tweeted that its officers are 'out and about today as Londoners go to vote', adding: 'If you see us, do say hello.'

Broadcasters are planning extensive coverage of the election tonight. Most coverage will begin as voting ends across the country and run through the night.

Here is what is happening on each TV channel:

• BBC One: Beginning at 9.55pm, the BBC's election night coverage will be led by Clive Myrie and Laura Kuenessberg, while the pair will be assisted by the corporation's political editor, Chris Mason.
• ITV: ITV's election coverage will be anchored by Tom Bradby and he will be joined by former Conservative chancellor George Osborne, former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, and former Labour minister Ed Balls. Coverage will begin at 9.50pm.
• Sky News: The coverage on Sky News will begin at 9pm, and be led by Kay Burley, in the studio normally used for the broadcaster's Monday Night Football programme. She will be joined by Beth Rigby, Sir Trevor Phillips and Ed Conway.
• Channel 4: At 9.45pm, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Emily Maitlis will head up Channel 4's coverage, where they will be joined by The Rest Is Politics podcast hosts Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. Cathy Newman will be presenting from the Conservative and Labour campaign headquarters.
• GB News: Camilla Tominey and Stephen Dixon will host GB News's live studio results coverage, which will begin at 9.55pm. Studio guests will include Kwasi Kwarteng, Sir Brandon Lewis, Luciana Berger, James Heappey and Sir Graham Brady.

Photographers around the UK have been taking pictures outside polling stations today - including this one at the Church of St Barnabas in Pimlico, where two men were seen arriving on a motorcycle, and a woman took a selfie with a child:

A final general election poll has shown Labour dropping five percentage points in a week - although the Tories continued to languish at their lowest-ever level.

The last Ipsos survey before polling stations opened at 7am today put Sir Keir Starmer's party on a 37 per cent vote share - giving Labour an 18-point lead over the Conservatives, who were unchanged on 19 per cent.

Despite Labour's support falling to its lowest level since 2021, the pollster said Sir Keir would enter Downing Street tomorrow with a 'healthy majority' amid wider expectations of a landslide win for the party.

Here is the full story from MailOnline's political correspondent Greg Heffer:

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill voted at the polling station at St Patrick's Primary School in Clonoe, Co Tyrone.

She briefly spoke with a Sinn Fein member outside the polling station. Ms O'Neill spent several minutes inside to cast her vote.

Asked by photographers for a thumbs-up, she laughed and said: 'Will a smile do?'

As she left the polling station, she shouted goodbye to local children and waved to voters.

The Met Office has just released an updated forecast video, showing how it will be a windy afternoon in the North and Scotland but breezy and warm elsewhere:

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill has arrived to cast her vote in the General Election at St Patrick's Primary School in Coalisland:

Constituents are pictured this afternoon outside what is thought to be the UK's most southerly polling station in The Lizard, near Helston, Cornwall:

Rishi Sunak met Becky Holt, the woman dubbed Britain’s most tattooed mother, yesterday after they both appeared on ITV’s This Morning.

The 35-year-old from Cheshire stripped down to a bikini to show off her body art and was later seen in a bathrobe chatting to the Prime Minister.

Asked what his choice of tattoo would be, Mr Sunak said the badge of his favourite football team, Southampton. ‘I’d probably get the Saints crest,’ he said, adding that it’s ‘a great logo’.

Today, Ms Holt posted a picture of their meeting on Instagram, saying: ‘Best of luck today @rishisunakmp in the general election. Please do let me know when you’re ready to let me help you choose your tattoo…’

These are the latest scenes outside 10 Downing Street today as Larry the cat, known as the 'Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office', sits in the sunshine:

MailOnline has devised an election night drinking game to help you get through watching the count come in. Click below for all the details:

Chelsea pensioners have also been among those voting today.

Here, some are pictured walking to and returning from a polling station set up at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London today:

While southern England is enjoying warm sunshine today, the weather is very different north of the border with parts of Scotland suffering heavy rain.

Here, people are pictured leaving Pollokshields Burgh Halls in Glasgow during heavy rain after casting their vote in the General Election:

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage eats an ice cream on the day of the general election in Clacton-on-Sea this morning

From 7am until 10pm, millions of Britons will head to polling stations to cast their vote in the first Westminster contest since 2019.

And the stars are among them as the likes of Lizzie Cundy , Myleene Klass , Ashley James , Piers Morgan and Charles Dance took part in the voting.

Read the full story and see all the photos on MailOnline today:

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and her husband Michael voted at the polling station at St Colmcille's parochial hall in east Belfast today.

They brought their dog Daisy with them.

Asked if she felt confident, Ms Long told reporters: 'I'm feeling relaxed, we'll see. Confidence is never a good thing, I'm just relaxed.'

The couple had to shelter for several minutes inside the polling station before leaving due to the intensity of a sudden downpour outside.

Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, walked to vote at Redland Park United Reformed Church on Whiteladies Road in Bristol, this morning.

Ms Denyer, wearing a striped dress, dark green cardigan and green rosette, was accompanied by supporters for the walk to the polling station.

She greeted photographers and reporters outside the church, situated in a busy shopping area of Bristol, before going inside to cast her vote.

The Bristol Central candidate, a former councillor for the Clifton Down ward, then came outside and posed for photographs before walking away with supporters.

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage has been pictured walking through Clacton-on-Sea this morning as he stands for election in the Essex seaside town.

When Rishi Sunak announced on May 22 that he was calling the election, Mr Farage said he would not be taking part, instead spending the summer in the US, campaigning for his friend Donald Trump.

A week later all that changed as he declared he would not only be taking back the party leadership, but he would be standing in Clacton, with the aim of making Reform the main party of opposition by the time of the next election.

Emma Raducanu has revealed that she was unware voting for the UK general election was taking place today, after her sensational second round Wimbledon win.

The former US Open champion was not one pf those planning her day around a trip to the ballot box as she revealed that she did not know today was voting day.

Having made light work of Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 yesterday afternoon, the 21-year-old was asked if she intended to vote before her practice session the following day.

'No,' she replied. 'I think I’ll have a lie-in, then I’ll come to practice. I didn’t even know it was tomorrow, to be honest! Thanks for letting me know.'

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood cast his vote at the Model Primary School in Londonderry in his Foyle constituency.

Mr Eastwood was met by party activists as he arrived at the polling station and exchanged a hug with party MLA for the area Mark Durkan.

He did not speak to media but posed for photographs and selfies with supporters.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and his wife, Emily, have visited a polling station in Surbiton to vote.

Sir Ed said 'good morning everybody' to the assembled media and waved to the cameras.

As the pair prepared to enter Surbiton Hill Methodist Church, a voter left the polling station and wished Sir Ed 'good luck'.

As he exited the polling station, Sir Ed said: 'It's a beautiful day. I hope lots of people come out to vote.'

A new prime minister will travel to Downing Street, where they can be expected to give a speech in front of the famous Number 10 door.

They will then enter the building - traditionally applauded in by staff - and will meet the Cabinet Secretary, the most senior Civil Service adviser to the prime minister and cabinet.

A number of briefings will follow, covering a diverse range of topics: living arrangements for the new premier and family, the process for appointing ministers, urgent decisions on key policies, as well as security and intelligence information.

The prime minister writes letters to the commanders of the four nuclear submarines which provide the UK's at-sea deterrent, with instructions for what to do in the event of a nuclear strike that wipes out contact with the UK.

The prime minister will also start appointing their cabinet, typically inviting them into Number 10 to offer ministerial roles - anyone offered a position will have to meet with the propriety and ethics team to discuss potential conflicts of interest.

This process will continue over several days as more junior ministers, party whips and parliamentary private secretaries, are appointed, and will come interspersed with calls from world leaders, congratulating them on their new position.

Pictured: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his then-girlfriend Carrie Symonds wave outside at 10 Downing Street in December 2019 after the Conservatives' victory.

Helen Montague, 44, took her dog Heston, who she said is her 'best friend', with her to vote at Marden polling station in Kent at 7am on the dot.

'Heston wanted to be the first dog at the polling station and he was,' Mrs Montague, a senior global manager at a finance company, said.

The Boston terrier wore a red bow as he is a fan of the accessory and was 'very excited' to accompany his owner to vote, she added.

'He knew that when we got to the polling station he would get a snack (chicken bites),' she added.

She said if Heston could share a message about election day, it would be: 'Please don't forget your ID and please don't forget to bring snacks for your dog at the polling station.'

Today sees the first General Election where voters will need to show photographic ID before they can receive their ballot paper following a law change in 2022.

From bringing children to furry friends, here is everything you need to know today about what you should do, and should not:

Mike Birtwistle, 46, took Reggie, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, to the polling station at Alexandra Park Library in North London at around 7.05am today.

Reggie wore a red rosette with a 'vote Labour' sticker on it as he posed for a photo.

'My daughter (Lila, 12) is running for Labour in her school mock election, so she got a rosette and she decided it would be nice to pin the rosette on Reggie's harness,' Mr Birtwistle, who is a consultant, said.

He added Reggie was 'very excited' to head to the polling station and has accompanied him to vote in the past.

'I don't think he's been on a successful election side, so hopefully this will be the first one where his choice of party actually wins,' he added.

He said if Reggie could share a message with people to encourage them to vote, he would say: 'As well as being able to exercise your democratic right, there's every chance you might meet a very nice dog at the polling station too, so it's a double win to get yourself down to the polling station to vote.'

Outgoing Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross cast his vote in Moray with his family.

Mr Ross, his wife Krystle and sons James and Alistair held hands heading towards the polling station at Fogwatt Hall in Longmorn, Elgin.

Mr Ross is standing as a candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

Here is the latest list of times for when the first of the 650 constituency results are estimated to be declared tonight.

All timings are approximate and can be affected by issues such as delays in verifying and counting ballots, or by recounts.

11.30pm:

• Blyth & Ashington

11.45am:

• Houghton & Sunderland South

12.15am:

• Basildon & Billericay
• Swindon South

12.30am:

• Broxbourne
• Sunderland Central

12.45am:

• Cramlington & Killingworth
• Washington & Gateshead South

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar cast his vote at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Glasgow, accompanied by his wife Furheen and son Aliyan.

After voting, he hugged and shook hands with Labour candidate for Glasgow South West Zubir Ahmed, and shook hands with Labour activists as well as an SNP activist.

A woman with a sign that read 'Starmer is a snake' approached and followed Mr Sarwar onto the street, before posing for pictures.

By the early hours of tomorrow, the vast majority of constituencies will have declared, and the country is likely to know which party has won the most seats.

What happens next depends on whether one party has earned a majority - 326 of the 650 seats. In reality, a working majority requires fewer seats because the Speaker and the three deputy speakers do not vote, and Sinn Fein MPs opt not to take their seats in Westminster.

If no party has a majority, then it becomes a hung parliament. In that case, the incumbent prime minister remains in power and is given the first chance to form a government - if they cannot form a government which commands the support of the majority of the House of Commons, they must resign to allow the King to invite someone else to try.

Governments without majorities can form coalitions with other parties, as was the case when the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats joined forces in 2010 (pictured below).

Or they could lead as a minority government, as happened to the Conservatives in 2017 when they governed with the support of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, an arrangement known as confidence and supply.

If one party wins a majority of seats, they will form the new government, and its leader will become the next prime minister.

If a new prime minister is to be appointed, the incumbent will visit the King and tender their resignation. The incoming prime minister arrives next and is formally asked by Charles to form a government.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie voted at Seagoe Primary School in Portadown this morning.

Mr Beattie greeted waiting media and posed for photographs as he arrived at the polling station.

He said: 'It is an important day, it is a day for the people to cast their votes. We have run a good campaign.'

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.

A crowd of local residents gathered to watch the Labour leader enter the polling station alongside dozens of national and international media.

Sir Keir wore a white shirt under a dark suit with a red tie as he greeted supporters lining the approach into the polling station.

A woman could be heard shouting 'free Palestine' as he entered the hall. He left through a back door out of sight of reporters.

Once every person still in the polling station queue at 10pm tonight has voted, the presiding officer seals the ballot box and delivers it to the local count centre.

Votes are first verified, with the number of votes in the ballot box checked against the paperwork from polling stations. Blank and spoiled papers, and those on which the voter's intention is unclear, are removed. Votes from the ballot box are mixed with postal votes before they are counted.

The first constituency results are expected to be announced within a couple of hours. In recent years, a Tyne-Wear derby has developed in the north-east of England, with constituencies racing to be the first to declare.

Newcastle upon Tyne Central (now replaced by Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West under new boundaries), declared at 11.27pm in 2019, ahead of Houghton and Sunderland South.

Meanwhile, politicians will be digesting the predictions of the exit poll. The results, broadcast at 10pm as the polling booths close, give the country the first idea of what to expect as the night progresses.

Exit polls are conducted throughout election day by asking thousands of people who they voted for at strategically chosen polling stations. In recent years, exit polls have given a reasonably accurate view of the choices the electorate has made.

Police officers have now escorted an activist away from a polling station in London after they stood there before Sir Keir Starmer arrived to vote.

The protester from animal rights group Peta was dressed as a bear and held a placard addressed to the Labour leader, saying: ‘Sir Keir: Save My Skin! Vote for Faux-Fur Caps’.

Click on the link below for This is Money's analysis of the political parties' manifestos and give our manifesto special podcast a listen back:

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria have arrived to cast their votes in the 2024 General Election at Willingham Close TRA Hall in London this morning:

Sir Keir Starmer needs a bigger swing than Sir Tony Blair's 1997 landslide to win a majority at the General Election, with his task made more difficult by changes to constituency boundaries.

The Labour leader must achieve a swing of 12.7 points from the Conservatives to become prime minister - larger than the 10.2 point swing that brought New Labour to power in 1997 and more than double the swing at any other election since 1945.

His task is made harder by the impact of the boundary changes, the first since 2010, which are intended to ensure that constituencies have similar numbers of voters.

This left Rishi Sunak defending a notional majority of 94, compared with the 80-seat margin actually secured by Boris Johnson's Conservatives in 2019 - although that was later diminished by by-election defeats, and MPs being suspended from the whip or defecting.

The new parliamentary constituencies were drawn up by the permanent and independent Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and just 77 of the 650 Commons seats were left untouched.

Jeremy Corbyn has posted a photo of himself outside a polling station in his North London constituency.

The former Labour leader is running as an Independent in Islington North.

Mr Corbyn has won the seat for Labour at every general election since 1983, but is no longer a member of the party. The picture of him with thumbs up is captioned: 'Just voted for the independent candidate in Islington North. I heard he's alright.'

Earlier, he made an appeal for voters to help his campaign, saying: 'We have built this campaign from nothing. We don't have party machinery. We don't have big donors. We have something more powerful: people.'

A local resident offers tea to voters and members of the media outside a polling station in London this morning as ballots are cast:

DUP leader Gavin Robinson and his wife Lindsay have cast their ballots at Elim church in Dundonald in his east Belfast constituency.

Mr Robinson greeted waiting media as he arrived. 'Fresh and well you're looking,' he said. Leaving the polling station, he said he was glad to have voted before giving a thumbs up to photographers.

Ballots are now being cast in the General Election today as voters choose a new government, with opinion polls predicting a Labour landslide and a Tory washout.

Parties will be rallying to their respective causes as they attempt to get people out to the polls.

Millions of people across the UK will cast their vote between 7am and 10pm, with opinion polls suggesting Labour is on course to secure a large majority in the House of Commons and form a new government with Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister.

An exit poll, published shortly after 10pm tonight, will 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 11.30pm, and counting will continue into the early hours of the morning. Thousands of electoral staff, candidates, party staff and journalists will be up all night as the results roll in.

While Labour are tipped to win the keys to 10 Downing Street, the outlook is much less clear in Scotland - with Labour looking to end more than a decade of SNP domination at Westminster.

John Swinney's party won 48 seats in 2019, while the Tories took six and the Liberal Democrats four. Labour was reduced to a single MP.

Sir Keir Starmer's party - led in Scotland by Anas Sarwar - has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years against a backdrop of turmoil for the Conservatives, putting Labour in pole position this time around.

But Scotland also boasts a number of the more intriguing local battles in this election. Read the full report from Michael Blackley in the Scottish Daily Mail:

Over in Northern Ireland, voting is under way in the General Election which involves several constituency battles that remain too close to call.

A total of 136 candidates are standing in the region's 18 constituencies.

All eyes will be on the race for the greatest number of seats, with the potential of Sinn Fein cementing its position as the largest party in Northern Ireland, having come out on top in the last Assembly and local council polls.

Sinn Fein, which ran a relatively low-key campaign, could secure first place by retaining the seven seats it already holds, if the DUP drops down from the eight seats it won in 2019.

Pictured: Early voters arrive at the Agape Centre in south Belfast.

An activist from animal rights group Peta dressed as a bear is holding a placard addressed to Sir Keir Starmer this morning outside a polling station in North London where the Labour leader is expected to vote later:

From a caravan in Cambridgeshire, to a shipping container in Battersea and even a Hindu temple in Wimbledon, there are a number of surprising places that have been made into makeshift polling stations this week.

Here, MailOnline shows you a glimpse of some of the most unusual:

SNP leader John Swinney has cast his vote at Burrelton Village Hall, Perthshire.

Accompanied by his 13-year-old son Matthew, the First Minister walked from his home to the polling station, greeting members of the media on the way in.

He also met his candidate Dave Doogan who is running in the Angus and Perthshire Glens constituency.

Rishi Sunak has appealed today to disaffected Tory voters to return to the fold to prevent a ‘socialist supermajority’ wrecking Britain.

Writing in the Daily Mail, the Prime Minister urged former Tory supporters considering staying at home today or voting Reform to lend their votes to the Conservatives again to stop Sir Keir Starmer winning unchecked power.

Read his full column on MailOnline here:

It's not just dogs at polling stations today - Heatherbelle Bates took her horse with her as she cast her vote in the Devon village of Holne this morning:

Kate Garraway has revealed that the only polling card posted through her door was for her late husband Derek Draper.

The Good Morning Britain host, 57, shared the heartbreaking news while speaking about how people can vote as the nation heads to the polls today.

Mr Draper, a former Labour party advisor, died aged 56 on January 3, following a long battle with Covid-19. Read the full story on MailOnline:

Among those voting this morning were monks from Sancta Maria Abbey in East Lothian, who were pictured visiting a polling station at Garvald Village Hall:

Polling stations opened for voters to have their say at the General Election today, which also means the return of the trend #dogsatpollingstations.

One pup named Mavis was pictured high-fiving the camera, with her owner writing on X: 'Paws up for change! Mavis feels getting in early is impawtent in Bury North on a day like this.'

Read the full story and see the best pictures on MailOnline today:

Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance has been spotted waiting in line to cast his vote in the 2024 General Election at Willingham Close TRA Hall in North London:

Voter turnout is not generally affected by weather conditions, records suggest.

According to the Parliament website, despite the last general election in 2019 being the wettest since records began in 1931, turnout was actually higher (67.3 per cent) than in 2001 (59.4 per cent) and 2005 (61.4 per cent) when polling day fell in June and May respectively.

The UK will see a national weather divide on General Election day, with 22C (72F) sunshine in southern England but 50mph winds and rain in the North and Scotland.

South-eastern parts of the country especially areas around London will experience the brightest and warmest weather today as voters head to polling stations.

But strong winds and chillier temperatures will hit further north as well as showers in West and North West Scotland, North West England and Northern Ireland.

Read the full story on MailOnline:

As millions of voters descend on polling stations today, Britons have answered the all-important question: Which election candidates would you Snog, Marry or Avoid?

MailOnline took to the streets and put Brits on the spot as they reluctantly picked between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Reform UK's Nigel Farage. Read the story and watch the videos here:

Rishi Sunak made the short journey from his grade II-listed manor house to vote at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in his Richmond constituency.

Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arrived in a Range Rover and walked hand-in-hand into the village hall, which is surrounded by rolling fields.

Swallows nesting in the eaves of the hall dipped over the heads of the waiting media while a dairy farmer next door turned out his cattle.

Mr Sunak, wearing a white shirt underneath a blue jumper, greeted the photographers outside the polling station.

He left without commenting and was driven away, followed by police protection officers.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have arrived to cast their vote in the 2024 General Election at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in North Yorkshire:

Rishi Sunak said yesterday that 132,000 voters in the most tightly fought seats could decide whether the UK has a hung Parliament or Labour majority.

And DANIEL HANNAN argues today that this is why anyone who does not want to hand Sir Keir Starmer untrammelled power should carefully read this guide:

Photographs show the polling station team at the Agape Centre in south Belfast preparing the room ahead of voting opening in the 2024 General Election:

Polls have opened across the UK in today's general election after Rishi Sunak made an 11th-hour plea for voters to prevent a 'socialist supermajority' wrecking Britain.

From 7am until 10pm, millions of Britons will head to polling stations to cast their vote in the first Westminster contest since 2019. A series of opinion polls in the run-up to today have shown Labour on course for a huge landslide win.

Here is the full story from MailOnline's political correspondent Greg Heffer:

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, writing on social media site X as polls opened, said: 'Change. Today, you can vote for it.'

Ahead of 7am, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted a series of messages on the same site, which urged voters to 'stop the Labour supermajority'.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, also writing on X, said: 'Today's the opportunity to vote for real hope and real change, in Waveney Valley, and across the country.'

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, posted an image asking people to 'vote with your heart', adding: 'Vote for real change today. Vote Reform UK.'

The SNP tweeted: 'Vote SNP to deliver independence, rejoin the EU, scrap the two-child benefit cap, invest in the just transition, protect free tuition.'

North of the border, Scotland's First Minister has urged 'every single SNP voter' to turn out today in what he said will be an 'incredibly close' contest throughout the country.

Addressing supporters at a pre-election rally in Leith yesterday evening, John Swinney said the Conservatives were going to be 'heavily defeated' by the Labour Party in England.

But he added that there were 'narrow margins' between Labour and the SNP north of the border.

After polling stations close at 10pm tonight, the counting process begins in 650 constituencies across the UK.

The crunch time will be between 3am and 4am when the bulk of the results will flood in. Read the full guide from MailOnline's deputy political editor David Wilcock:

Ending a campaign that was dominated by headline-catching stunts, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey drove off in a pink Cadillac convertible with his deputy Daisy Cooper after his last election campaign stop.

The Lib Dem leader gave a stump speech at Hammond's End Farm in Harpenden to the tune of ABBA's Take A Chance On Me.

Sir Ed said he had enjoyed the campaign, which saw him travel the entire length of the UK, cover 6,000 miles on the Lib Dem's Yellow Hammer One bus and bungee 160 feet.

He added: 'Communities are angry. The water companies have been allowed to pour their filthy sewage into our rivers, lakes and onto our beaches. This has to change. The Conservatives have got to go.'

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

He said yesterday: 'Britain's future is on the ballot.'

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

He said: '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, Sir Keir said he was pleased with Labour's campaign and his party was 'ready for what comes next'.

Britons should ensure they have the correct photo identification to vote before heading to the polling station today, the Electoral Commission has warned.

This year is the first time in the UK that everybody wanting to vote in person at a general election will have to show ID before receiving a ballot paper.

Not all types of photo ID will be accepted at polling stations, but a passport, driving licence or blue badge are valid. Read the full guide on MailOnline:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today 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'.

Mr Sunak was joined by his parents Usha and Yashvir Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, for the final stump speech of the election campaign yesterday evening.

He stood for a photo with his family after giving a speech at Romsey Rugby Club, north of Southampton where he grew up.

'This underdog will fight to the final whistle,' Mr Sunak said.

The Prime Minister called on Tory activists to continue campaigning, claiming they had 'urgent work to do' to 'save the UK' from a Labour government.

An exit poll, published shortly after 10pm tonight, will provide the first indication of how the election has gone on a national level.

These take place at polling stations across the UK, with tens of thousands of people asked to privately fill in a replica ballot as they leave, to get an indication of how they voted.

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

Polling stations all opened at 7am today - among them this one at Kirby Sigston in North Yorkshire, where Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to vote later.

Good morning and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage as polling stations open for UK voters to have their say at the General Election after weeks of campaigning.

Millions of people will cast their vote between 7am and 10pm, with opinion polls suggesting Labour is on course to secure a big majority in the House of Commons.

Follow MailOnline’s live coverage for updates throughout today.