The polls have opened in the United Kingdom in a historic general election as Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer face the judgment of the electorate, Paralel.Az reports citing The Telegraph.

Victory for Mr Sunak would mean an unprecedented fifth term of Conservative rule. A triumph for Sir Keir would see Labour return to power for the first time in 14 years.

Since the Prime Minister called the election on May 22, the six-week campaign has seen major dividing lines emerge on tax, net zero policy and private education.

The election has been shaken up by Nigel Farage returning to frontline politics to lead Reform. Mr Farage and Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, hope to take as many seats as possible from the Tories.

An average of polls conducted before voting opened suggested that Labour had a lead of almost 20 points over the Tories, prompting Mr Sunak to warn against handing Labour a “blank cheque” amid predictions of a “super-majority” in the Commons.