Labour tipped to win as the UK votes today

The UK goes to the polls on Thursday to vote in a general election that will determine the country's political destiny for the next five years. 

While populist parties are doing well in mainland Europe, the centre-left Labour Party appears to be on track for victory, according to polling conducted during the campaign.

Under Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system, the candidates who receive the most votes in each of the 650 parliamentary contests are automatically elected to the House of Commons.

The party that wins the majority of constituencies has the right to establish a government. After 14 years of Conservative government, highlighted by austerity, Brexit, the Covid epidemic, and an inflationary crisis, Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party has maintained a commanding lead in polling.

Rishi Sunak is the third Tory leader since Britain's last general election in 2019, having been appointed by the party following the collapse of his predecessor Liz Truss' leadership, which she had taken over from Boris Johnson after being ejected by MPs.

Pre-election surveys show Mr Sunak struggling to escape a historic defeat as he faces a new challenge from the resurgent hard-right Reform UK party, led by Brexit architect and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage. There will be more updates soon.

More updates soon.